Elfen Lied Two Souls
by Amy.Leona.C-U
Summary: The story of two diclonius girls who have not been truly noted by Director Kakuzawa. How will things turn out for them, read to find out. Warning, extremely graphic and violent.
1. Leona the Wretch

**Elfen Lied: Two Souls**

**Intertwined Hearts**

**By: Marvin Burshik**

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A special note for any fans of mine. I'll likely be posting the first two chapters of the remake of this story in a month or two, as I'm working on making a longer, better written version of it right now. I know it has been a long time since I've made anything, but I promised myself I would make this story the best it could be. So please, any of you readers who have just joined me, have patience with me. I will finish this entire series, and make it what it should be, as well as accurate with the original series and manga.

Thanks.

* * *

_Two years ago, according to the Prime Minister of Japan, the diclonius threat had been eliminated. Though unconfirmed they claim Lucy the queen of the diclonius had been killed by a large contingent of military forces shortly before they were all killed themselves by her vectors. Lucy also was claimed to be the last living diclonius known. The diclonius were considered to be nothing but killing machines destined to destroy the human race as we know it._

_In America, a number of the diclonius survive, though even they don't realize what they are._

**Chapter One: Leona the Wretched**

_Eight Years Ago_

Her mother had died during childbirth, and she had even murdered her own father a year before, it was needless to say she was alone. It was bad enough that her father had feared her, but even her sister was scared of her. At school, she was constantly being bullied because of her horns. She had but one friend, the guidance counselor Seymour Ingram, but even he couldn't possibly begin to understand her.

Today though, everything would change, she was going to make sure of it.

It had started out as your average day for a freak such as her, avoiding the older kids at the breakfast tables in the orphanage, ignoring the other students in class as they made fun of her despite the teacher's berating, and sitting in on one of Seymour's counseling sessions with other students - hiding the entire time. It wasn't until lunch that things started crashing down around her.

"Hey freak!" a male student called out to her.

She growled, "My name's Leona, not freak you jerk!"

"Whatever, it doesn't matter. I hear that there is someone coming to take you away from here today. I also heard that they don't plan on adopting you. Ha ha!"

"Why else do they intend to take me from here?" she asked still glaring at the boy.

"They probably want to kill you, then dissect you for your weird head. Or maybe they think you're a freak or an alien and want to simply execute you for future crime. Freak!"

"Damn you! I'm not a freak! At least Mr. Ingram likes me." She replied, feeling hatred well up inside her.

He rolled his eyes, "No he doesn't, he's just pretending, cause it's his job to like you. It's obvious, even Dad sees it. You're only a damned crime to nature, you don't even deserve to live!"

"You lie! Mr. Ingram really likes me. I'll kill you too if I have to. You'll see!"

Then he chuckled, "Oh yes, that's right, I forgot. That's why they're really coming to pick you up. You're lucky that the police have let you stay here for so long considering you killed your dad last year. You're a damn murderer."

He was the only student in the entire school who knew that, and he only knew that because she told him herself.

"That was an accident, but your death won't be!"

Suddenly he was flying in the air for no apparent logical reason with him clutching his neck.

"I-Is this h-how you ki-illed, h-him Le-eona?" He asked as he struggled.


	2. Amy the Altruistic

**Chapter Two: Amy the Altruistic**

_Seven Years Ago_

Amy struggled with her life, now eleven, she had been alone for eight years now. She couldn't remember her parents, as they had been dead for eight years. No friends and no home to go to, but she stayed strong. It wasn't until last week that someone other than the teachers at the school for orphans paid any attention to her. There was this older man who found her sleeping in the alleyway, he took her in for the night though only because he didn't want an orphan waif out on the streets.

Her horns was part of her problem, that much she knew, but there wasn't much she could do about it. She had tried sawing them off, but she always slipped and cut herself. Whatever she tried to do to remove them always ended up failing.

Another part of her that causedthe others to pick on her was her albinism, white hair, pink eyes, and extremely pale skin. She felt that the only thing that made it worse was that when combined with her horns that it made her look like some kind of demon. One girl at school called her demon-child a while back, spawning a whole series of tortures for her.

Today though she hoped that something would happen to change all this, she could feel it.

She went to the San Diego Orphan's School, it was a school for street urchins that weren't picked up by the government. Personally though she shouldn't even have been able to go to this school, even if it were free.

On her way to school the older man that she had met earlier in the week intercepted her.

"Amy right? I forget to introduce myself to you earlier, my name is Adam Pablo. If you could, will you stop by my house after school?"

How could he want to be near her? She thought everyone considered her disgusting.

"What do you want to meet with me for? I'm just a homeless orphan girl, with no money."

He smiled, "That's why I wish to meet with you later. Just come alright?"

"I'm not sure..." She hesitantly replied.

"Come on, I have something for you, all you need to do is come over after school."

"A g-gift for m-me?"

"Yep, all for you. Now run along to school and I'll see you when it's done."

She nodded and ran off skipping to school joyously.

"Hey look it's Amy the demon-child! I bet she's evil like Satan, cause she sure isn't human!" One of the orphan girls indirectly taunted.

A nearby teacher admonished the girl, "Hey, we don't do that here, in fact we call people like her special. Apologize to her now!"

The girl approached Amy nervously, "S-s-sorry Amy Argyle, I was w-w-wrong to call you a demon-child." Then squaring her shoulders she got bolder, "Cause you're not a demon-child, you're Beelzebub herself!"

Amy cried out in defense, "That's not true! I may not be human, but at least I don't pick on other people!"

The girl spit in Amy's face as the teacher pulled her away, "Your just saying that, I bet you've hurt a lot 'a people!"

Amy found herself reaching into the dark reaches of herself, and found a familiar feeling she had known before, but it was a feeling she didn't like. After a moment she release her grip on herself and continued on with her day.

She occasionally worked in the kitchen after lunchtime so she could earn her keep there. It was a requirement for orphans that lived on the street, doing some work to help pay for their education. Occasionally they'd earn a little money of their own if they worked hard enough.

On this particular day several government officials had come to check on the school facilities to make sure this place was worth running. Keeping a orphan's school open isn't exactly cheap. The head chef had asked her to wear a cap so that her horns wouldn't show, so that they wouldn't try to take her away for science experiments.

It was her turn to take out the kitchen garbage today, which didn't bother her a bit. She had to inspect and remove up to six cans worth of trash whenever it was her turn.

On her third trip to the garbage dump she accidentally dropped the can and everything spilled out. She began to clean it all up when she noticed a bag full of money spilled out.

"I wonder who this belongs to. Hmm, I'll ask and find out."

Again something deep within herself begun to well up, 'Do they deserve to have this back hmm? You deserve to live in a decent place, not on the streets like the urchin you are. If you were to hand that money back, what would the original owners think hmm? And who's to say they didn't mean to throw it away? Keep it Amy, and this will be the start of a new life for you.'

Shaking she dropped the bag of money and swiftly picked up the remainder of the spilled trash.

"I couldn't keep it, that'd be stealing. I-I don't steal!" She told herself as she came back from emptying the garbage can.

On her final trip to the garbage dump she picked up the bag again and took it back with her to the kitchen with her.

When she did get back to the main kitchen she saw the school founder and the government agents arguing.

"Give us the money needed to support the school, you promised us you'd have it by now!"

"I had it sitting on the counter over here I said. Don't you believe me?" He pleaded with the men.

"Damn it, you were overdue three months ago! If you don't have the money within the hour we'll be forced to shut this place down!"

The founder stood firm, "I will find it, I promise. If only for the children's sake!"

One of the men grinned when he heard that, "That reminds me, if you don't pay up your precious children will all be taken to juvie hall. Those children that don't have homes that is."

"You- you can't do that! They all deserve the right to find parents through use of our adoption system. They belong in orphanages not children's prison!"

Dark thoughts came to her, 'If you keep the money they won't be able to take you away! Who cares about all those mean kids, they made fun of you right? If they get sent to prison then you won't be picked on anymore!'

She shook off the feeling of darkness and forced herself to give the founder the bag of money she found.

"Here sir, I found this in a garbage can. Do you know who it belongs to?"

His eyes widened, "You took the money! Amy do you know what would have happened if you hadn't returned it? You demonic child, we could have lost this school and the children who didn't have homes, you included!"

One of the government agents grabbed the bag full of money and started counting it, "You better hope she didn't steal any of it for herself!"

"I didn't take it, I found it in the garbage can near the counter over there!"

The man who took the money looked up at her, "It's all here, lucky bitch. You street urchins are all thieves!"

Using the power she had felt once before she knocked him down and ran out of the kitchen.

"Damn that bitch can sure kick!"

Amy had skipped the remainder of her classes and ran straight to the alleyway next to Adam's home and cried.

"Hey squirt, what are you doing here so early today? I thought school was still in session." the familiar man asked as he patted her cap covered head.

"Everyone hates me, even the school founder. He even called me a demonic child. I thought only the kids called me that, but I was wrong."

Still patting her head he replied, "Do you happen to know why he called you a demonic child?"

"He thought I stole money from the school that I was returning. I found it when I took the trash to the dump. Yes, I thought about taking it for myself, but I knew that would have been wrong."

He sighed, "You are quite some kid you know that. Who taught you that stealing was bad?"

"I-I don't know, I've just always known. Begging isn't beneath me though. That's how I survive."

"Come on, let's get inside, I hear it's going to rain soon I don't want you getting sick."

"O-okay, if you insist."

He helped her up and had her follow him. She followed him into his house. He led her up to the bedroom she had stayed in a week ago.

"Now you stay here for the moment and I'll be right back with the gift I promised you. And if you wish to change I have some clothes in the drawer over there that might fit you. I'll knock."

She shivered nervously, "N-no thank you, I'll be fine."

"Do as you see fit Amy. I'll be right back."

She sat on the nearby bed, still upset about earlier and resumed sobbing.

A few minutes later she heard a knock on the door, "Are you proper?"

"Come in."

He came in carrying a dress that was far too large for Amy to wear.

"Is that meant for me?"

"Sort of, not yet, but you'll grow into it. It was my daughter's before she died. I figure in a few short years that you'll be able to wear it."

With a nervous look on her face she looked at him, "I might not even be alive by the time I'm big enough for that dress. And if I do take it I might ruin the dress while I'm out on the streets."

"Doesn't matter, you deserve it, you really do remind me of my daughter, minus your horns. See how it looks on you already, just call me when you have it on."

He closed the door behind him as he waited for her to slip into the dress.

The dress had a gorgeous yellow lily pattern covering it with a white background. She slipped out of the bunch of rags she called clothes and quickly slide into the large dress.

"I'm ready sir."

"Ah good - let's see how it looks."

He opened the door and looked at her. Seeing the long white-yellow dress blending with her pale skin and white hair caused him to lose his wits.

"Oh my dear girl, you look so beautiful... so lovely..."

A look of fear came into the girl's eyes as he made his approach, "Mr. Pablo, you're scaring me!"

"Oh, don't be scared Valerie, it won't hurt much. Now come to me."

She backed up against the bed, "I'm not Valerie! I'm Amy the street orphan!"

He pushed her down onto the bed, forcing her legs apart.

"You'll enjoy this dear, I promise. Just let me a little closer to it."

Struggling she tried hitting him, but his approach continued.

After unzipping his pants he forced himself upon her, taking her virginity.

"You see Valerie, this is the worst of it. You'll be begging me for more pleasure soon!'

'Defend yourself Amy! This man is doing something terrible to you! Use your power!'

"I don't have power! Just darkness." She told herself.

'Just reach into yourself like before! And push out!'

Closing her eyes she focused until she felt a new sense of control explode from her body.

Adam flew across the room and hit the dresser, shattering it and the mirror on top of it.

'Good girl, now finish him and you'll have a home of your own for a while!'

She backed herself further onto the bed and curled up into a ball.

Bleeding heavily Adam regained his posture and stood up, "God, what have I done to this innocent girl?"

'Damn it Amy, kill him!'

He picked up a large shard of the mirror, "I was going to adopt her, and raise her like my daughter. But what do I do? I rape her, like I did my real daughter. Fuck, I'm such a fool."

Amy looked up and saw four transparent arms surrounding her, "Do these belong to me?"

'Yes Amy, these arms do belong to us. These arms are part of who you are! We control our own destiny with these! Now kill the man who had harmed you!'

"Kill him? Isn't that wrong?"

Adam continued, "I deserve only death for what I've done to you. Amy, I don't have the courage needed to kill myself, I need you to do it for me. Take this shard of glass and kill me with it."

'Listen to him! You have the power, now use it!'

Using her newly understood power she lifted herself off the bed and pushed herself towards the door.

"I cannot, for doing so will only give those children all the more reason for calling me evil. I refuse to let them be right!"

'Fool! You could simply kill all of them, just like your parents! Then they won't be able to hurt you with their words!'

"They're just words, though hurtful. Those sins are forgivable, but murder isn't!"

"Amy, why won't you kill me? I deserve to die!" Adam said sobbing.

"Suffer with your sins until death, for I shall not let you die. Even if I do forgive you, your guilt will still overwhelm you!"

'You could make the world ours, just so long as you use your power!'

"Enough! I'll use these arms as I see fit, and that isn't the way you see it!"

She left the house leaving her attacker in a flurry of confusion. Nothing was going to ever be the same for her again.


	3. Bloodstained

**Chapter Three: Bloodstained**

_Two years ago_

Leona had been slowly traveling westward, finding shelter in numerous homes of families she had murdered and then eaten. She could never stay in any one place long, for being chased by police was always such a hassle. She was still devising various methods of torturous deaths so the killing process took longer than she liked, but it was much preferable to painless deaths.

This most recent location she was staying in has so far remained unsearched, so she supposed that the original owners had probably intended on going vacationing before she had eaten them. Leona didn't mind the silence, but something unnerved her about it.

She was watching the news as usual to see if the police had caught on to her yet when she came across something strange.

"In recent news in Japan a mass murderer had been finally killed after slaughtering over one-hundred people, including members of the military, this morning. It took a large military force with two tanks to annihilate the terrorist, though they too had been destroyed before killing her. Reports say that this girl was a part of a larger organization that had killed a large number of people before she killed them herself. The only remaining piece of her corpse is a solitary horn."

"Humph, she was just like me. A diclonius I think. I might have been able to relate to her, too late now. All the more reason these pathetic humans should die."

"In other news, the police have recently confirmed that the bones they found buried outside the Riemann family home were indeed belonging to the four members of the now late Riemann family. They believe they were murdered in a similar fashion as a family in Wellington, Kansas. Neighbors say that a young girl was commonly seen going in and out of the house from time to time, but even she has now disappeared."

Leona yawned before taking a drink of the blood she had been storing, "You'll never find me. Even if you could, I'll just kill you and move on to the next city."

The doorbell rang and a moment later the person introduced himself, "I've got your pizza here!'

She smiled, it had been a while since she's had anything fresh.

The pizza delivery guy's eyes widened when he saw the horns on her head a mere moment before he was pulled into the house.

"What are you?"

He felt a sharp pain where his appendix was supposed to be.

"Your personal butcher of men, and soon you'll be my next meal!"

After causing his appendix to explode he fell onto the floor dead.

"Damn, that was too fast. Such a weakling."

"Seymour, what are you thinking about?"

Seymour continued to stare at the area that once was his hand.

"Seymour honey, tell me, what's bothering you?"

He lifted his head, "That girl."

"You mean the one who killed those three people six years ago?"

"Yes, Leona. I feel as though I should have done more to stop her."

She sighed, she's been over this numerous times with him, "Whatever she was, was most certainly something that isn't easily stopped. And it seemed that she would have simply killed you too if you hadn't taken those darts for her."

"Then I need to find her, if she's still alive."

"If she's still alive I doubt you'd recognize her, she'd be sixteen now, wouldn't she? Besides dear, the likelihood of her being in Syracuse, Kansas is very slim."

"That's why we're moving there, to avoid her?"

"Yes, that's exactly why. You need to forget her, it has been six years and if she's still alive that makes her all the more deadly. I don't want you getting hurt anymore. You said it yourself, she can kill without even touching you, and that's scary."

He sighed and repositioned himself in his seat. He knew she was right, but that wasn't going to deter him.

"Crap, I think I'm getting sick. Was it someone I ate?" She asked herself after she had finished throwing up.

Leona struggled to push herself back off the floor, disgusted by the fact that she made such a mess. She quickly went to the master bathroom and started looking for some indigestion medicine to help calm herself down. It had been a long time since she had last been sick, nearly four years now.

The last time she was sick she had to kidnap the grandson of a doctor before she felt safe enough to get treatment. After he removed her appendix and sewn her back up she immediately killed him, his wife and his grandson. Since he did save her life though she left their bodies completely intact and left for a new residence.

"Where the hell is their medicine cabinet? Oh god, not again!"

She threw up into the sink and collapsed onto the floor in pain.

"Damn that delivery boy, I think he might of had an infectious rash! Sh-i-it!"

Clutching to her stomach she pulled herself up and started to search for some sort of medicine closet.

Desperate she started using her extra arms to tear open doors to storage places, but nothing could be found.

"Why don't they keep any medicine around here? Even humans aren't that stupid. I can't take this anymore!"

She smashed the front door open and staggered out, desperate to find some medicine. As she staggered down the porch stairs she collapsed once again onto the grass, and threw up again.

"D-Damn it, must I s-suffer so?"

After crawling out several more feet she passed out, a foot from the street.

They found the girl unconscious near the side of the road. His wife wouldn't have noticed had he not pointed her out.

Seymour quickly got out of the car and checked to see if she was alright. After determining she was still alive he tried carrying her onto the nearby porch. The redheaded girl seemed to have been in some pain before falling unconscious near the side of the street.

When he finally laid her down on the porch he noticed that she had horns protruding from her head, surprising him.

"My, you're just like Leona, with your horns and red hair. I hope you aren't as violent as she was." He commented as he took a good look at her.

His wife Ophelia, quickly parked the car in the driveway. After getting out of the car she pulled out the travelers first aid pack and carried it to her husband.

"Oh my God! That girl looks just like that child! You know the one. Um Leona?"

He briskly covered her mouth, "Shh, don't wake her. If it is her..."

She nodded silently, agreeing, allowing him to resume care for the girl.

He put his hand on her forehead, checking to see if she had a fever. When he was satisfied with her temperature he checked her mouth for infectious residue. Her mouth had several pieces of flesh within and other unrecognizable articles.

"Indigestion?"

For reply the girl spewed over herself, covering herself with gross entrails, none of which was recognizable.

"I guess that's it, not normally something you'd pass out from. Grab the Beptol Pismal bottle for me Ophelia."

She swiftly opened the container, identified the bottle, and handed him the pink bottle.

He poured out about a tablespoon of the fluid into the cup and forced the girl to drink the medication.

"Hopefully when she wakes up she won't retaliate. Get back in the car Ophelia, for safety's sake."

"So much for likelihood."

When he paid closer attention to the mess on her blouse he saw what looked like remnants of intestine, human intestine.

"Dear God, what have I done?"

She opened her eyes slowly, simply because of the bright light coming from the afternoon sun. After sorting through the blur she realized someone was staring at her. Instinctively she summoned up her dark power.

"Are you feeling better? My wife and I found you lying near the street."

She threw him against a nearby wooden pillar before even thinking.

He barely flinched and then he forced himself back up, "So it is you. Leona."

She groaned, still feeling somewhat ill, "How do you know me?"

Expressionless he stared at her, "So you don't remember me. You certainly have filled out some physically since we last met. I bet this isn't even your home legally."

"Who are you? How could I have not killed you already?"

"I was your guidance counselor before your school years abruptly ended, I helped protect you then."

She shook her hair as she shoved herself up, "Mr. Ingram? What happened to your hand?"

Raising his right arm he replied "When I tried to stop you from leaving the school then, you severed it, using those monstrous hidden limbs of yours. I still can't believe that you'd be so evil. How many have you killed now?"

She feigned innocence, "Who me? I couldn't hurt a flea, let alone kill humans."

"You killed not only the two men who came after you then, but also Georgie, an innocent youth then. She would have been twenty now."

Rolling her eyes she retaliated, "Do you want to end up like her then? I could just kill you now. Is that your wish?"

"If it weren't for my wife, then maybe I'd accept death. But that isn't why I'm here. I came here hoping to save your life, even though I wasn't sure it was you."

Leona leaned over to look at the car parked in the driveway, "She looks appetizing. So you want me to kill her instead. Fine then I'll do it, though I'm not hungry as of yet."

"You are wretched. You tell me you eat whoever you kill?'

She shrugged, "Not always. Nor do I kill them right away either. And before you call me a cannibal I'm not, for I don't eat my own kind. Not that I've had the chance though."

"You've got to stop this killing. Not everyone deserves death!"

She smiled, "How do you intend on stopping me? I will kill you if you decide to fight me. And of course all it takes to lose a fight against me is to get in range of my alternate arms, and you're already in range. You might as well get it over with as I'll just kill you anyway when I've killed all of the other humans."

"I don't know how I'll stop you from murdering all these innocent people, but I promise you I will!"

Suddenly time seemed to stop for her as an unfamiliar feeling occurred within her, something that scared her.

'What's going on? Something doesn't feel right here.'

A human shaped silhouette appeared in her mind. She tried to see who it was, but it still remained blurry, in fact the only thing she was able to make out was the person's horn.

She then felt one cold hand gripping her chin, snapping her back to reality.

"Leona, calm down, I need to know what's going on. Why is it you're so scared?"

She shook her head and pushed him away, "I need to go, I can't stay here any more!"

"What is it? Tell me!" He demanded.

"I don't know, but I need to go now!"

Again the feeling returned, this time something started speaking to her, 'She's coming to kiiill you, and she knows you're here.'

"Who's here?"

Seymour shook her again, "Someone's here?"

"Who's here?"

'Your worst nightmare!'

Leona threw Seymour through the building and started running in the opposite direction from where the horrible feeling came from.

"Leona! I can help you!"

"Seymour, are you hurt?" Ophelia asked, carrying the med kit.

He grunted, he was more concerned about what spooked Leona.

She inspected his body and found a large chunk of wood embedded in his back.

"I can't believe she did this to you. You really could have been killed!"

He sat there staring out of the hole he made when he was tossed into here.

"Seymour, I'm telling you, there's nothing you can do for her. If you want to live you should simply stay near me, because we're leaving this town!"

She quickly pulled the chunk out and wrapped it tightly in a bandage.

"Ophelia, you should go. I must help Leona. It's far too dangerous for you to be here."

She stared at him dumbly, "What? Are you insane? Why would you want to help that murderous devil?"

"It's impossible to explain, but something tells me I can reach her. No one else needs to die!"

"Fool! You'll be killed by her, and that means someone else dies!"

"If she wanted me dead I would be. I think she just saved my life a few minutes ago."

"Damn it! She threw you through a damn wall! You call that saving your life!"

"You didn't see what I just saw. She's scared."

"So!"

"That means there is something out there that might actually be worse than she is. I have to help her."

Ophelia's mouth hung agape, "Hah, and how do you suppose you'll be able to help? If there's something worse than she is out there, you'll not only be killed you'll be slaughtered! I couldn't take that!"

"I have to go now. If I don't make it back then I want you to live on without me!"

He pushed himself off the ground and marched out of the house.

"Seymour... you fool."

She stopped running for a moment to catch her breath, which was unusual for her, "I'm going to die!"

The wooden shed she was standing next to then was torn to shreds, as if it had been processed through a blender.

A tall horned pink haired girl and her escort stood on top of the ruins of the fallen building.

The African male escort wore a black suit and had a sword on his back, he was also bald.

The girl seemed to be younger than herself, but taller. She also seemed to be from another country, almost Asian-like, with the exception of her pink hair and horns.

The man took a look at Leona and smiled, "It seems #34, that another of your kind has gone unnoticed. Convenient huh? Think you can handle her?"

She smiled the evilest smile Leona had ever seen and from her back Leona saw a large number of external arms appear.

"Oh, yes I can Torg. She fears me greatly, I can feel it. Do you think oneesan will mind if I kill her?"

"I don't think she'll have much say in this matter, do you?"

"Not if I kill her now!"

Torg drew his blade and positioned himself, "First though, I think I'll ask your name girl."

"I'll kill you first!"

Leona's other arms flew out towards Torg, but they were immediately intercepted by the other girl's arms.

"Need I inform you girl, that #34 has a total of twelve vectors? I'm betting that's more than you have."

"Then what's her name first?"

"Sure then, you can call her Yumiki. That's all you need to know before you die."

Yumiki laughed out, "Die for me please."

"You'll do damn well if you can remember the name of Leona the Wretched One, if you don't die first!"

"Well then Leona, we'll make sure as to extend the time of your death for our pleasure."

Leona had no intention of dying for their sakes, no matter how strong they were. She was more than willing to run if needed, at least until she herself were strong enough to handle this vile girl.

"She's scared Torg, I'm liking this already."

"Yes, I just love killing coward silpelits." He agreed.

#34 leapt, or flew, off the ground; leaving deep hand imprint marks in the ground. She then thrust eight of her arms at the inexperience diclonius.

Leona barely warded the vectors off, leaving her visible arms bleeding.

"She may not be as strong as #35, but she's more than a match for an ordinary silpelit like you. She has a range of seven meters, while most of you diclonius freaks, no offense #34, have range of a mere two to three meters. You are smart to fear her."

Leona spit towards the man, not willing to show her fear outwardly.

Smiling wickedly Yumiki sent out another attack, this time grabbing Leona and tossing her into the air.

Leona fell onto a broken fence post, it piercing her abdomen.

"Da-dam-dammit! I've gotta survive this bitch." Leona grabbed the post using her vectors and pulled it out of her.

She hid the post behind her back, hoping for the other diclonius to get in range.

"You can't use your vectors now girl. You're in pain, and silpelits in pain can't use their power." Torg explained as if it were matter-of-factly.

Yumiki sighed, "I guess you want to finish her off now, don't you Torg?"

"Of course, but you can hold her down for me, just so you can participate in the fun."

Leona suddenly felt her torso being pressed down upon, further restricting her movement, back pressed hard against the post.

Torg pressed his sword against Leona's neck and commented, "Any last words? I'll be sure to relay them to whomever you wish to hear."

"I'll eat you!"

"So much for that #34."

He pulled his blade from her neck and then began to swing. In mid-swing two gunshots rang out across the lot, one shot hitting Torg's gripping hand and the other shot was deflected.

"Ah hell, why'd you go and do that?" Torg asked as he dropped the sword to clutch his hand.

Leona then saw Seymour stagger closer to them holding a pistol, "You were going to kill her, that's my only reason. She's my student, only I have any right to punish her."  
"Damn, you're human. Aren't you afraid of this girl? She could kill you in an instant if you gave her a chance!"

Coughing up blood he replied, "Yes, she see's us as fodder, food to be harvested. I'm quite sure she even thinks what she's doing as wrong. I care for her though, even if she may decide to kill me herself."

Leona used her vectors to grab the sword that was now laying on top of her and thrust it towards Torg, but it was blocked by Yumiki's spare vectors.

"Don't you dare hurt my Torg! If you do... I'll…, I'll... not only kill you, I'll shred you to pieces!"

The sword changed directions in midair and was thrust back at Leona. She then realized that she wasn't being pressed down anymore and rolled out of the way, allowing the sword to imbed itself if the fallen post.

"Ooh, blood. I can't wait to taste it."

Seymour fired off two more rounds, this time at the youth who appeared to be floating in the air, once again they were deflected.

"Do you wish to die old man? I don't normally kill humans, but I might be willing to make an exception with you."

Torg walked over to the other man, still clutching his injured hand.

"#34, ignore this fool, our orders are specific. Hunt down any unknown diclonius and kill them all, neutralize bystanders. Of course this man doesn't qualify as a bystander, so I'll handle him." Using his uninjured hand he reached into his suit jacket and pulled out a handgun.

"Dammit! He's my kill!"

Leona grabbed both the sword and the fence post and separated them. She thrust the sword at the girl and the post at the escort.

"Torg!" Yumiki cried out, extending all of her vectors towards him, causing her to fall from her height.

The post was deflected, and the sword missed, but Yumiko had fallen on her neck, shattering several bones.

On instinct Torg ran towards his charge, "#34! Did the silpelit do this to you?"

Groaning miserably she replied, "I had to protect you. She was going to kill you."

"Then you did an excellent job, I guess it's time we get out of here. It seems we underestimated this one. Leona! We'll meet again!"

He picked up Yumiki and leapt away.

Leona wanted to run after them, but her back injury restricted most of her movement.

"Damn, now I have those two to deal with. Shit, I hate having to move."

She slipped off her jacket and tied it around her torso, slowing the blood flow down. Then she began hobbling away.

Seymour still in shock stood there unsure as to what just happened.

"You better get back to your wife old man, you don't want her to worry any more than necessary. I can't kill you just yet, my vectors are gone, for now. If you want to live, stay far away from me."

"Why'd you protect me?"

She sighed, "I reserve the right to being your executioner, and that's the only reason."

"Leona, thank you."

"There is no need, for I could not have survived this day without you. Now let me leave."

"Goodbye again."


	4. The Sanctity of Life

**Chapter Four: The Sanctity of Life**

_One and a half years ago_

"You want to apply for a job here? How old are you?" The receptionist lady asked.

Amy smiled, "I'm sixteen. Do you need some sort of papers or something?"

"Um, let me check." She quickly typed something up and looked at the computer monitor, "Yeah, it says you need a photo ID and your social security card. Why aren't your parents here to help register?"

She explained as she rummaged through her knapsack, "Oh they've been dead for some time now, and I don't have a guardian yet, don't ask me why, I don't really understand it myself."

"Sorry, I didn't mean to..." The reception tried apologizing.

"Aha found it!" Amy smiled brightly as she pulled out two pieces of identification and handed it to the clerk, "It's amazing how much work I had to go through to obtain my social security number. Living on the streets since I was three has several disadvantages. I had to go all the way through the governor just to convince the social security office that I had no papers whatsoever. Then for some weird reason they felt I was old enough to take care of myself on the streets like I've been doing for so long. Oh, and don't worry about my parents, they've been dead since I've been three, I barely even remember them."

"Um, oh-kay. Give me a moment to process these. So are you living anywhere?"

"Not really, though I hope to be able to soon. You see I've met this man who says he'd be willing to rent me a place for forty bucks a month. I think though he's just doing it out of pity, but hey who am I to complain. Solid shelter is a luxury for me."

The lady gulped, "S-so, that m-means y-you're homeless?"

With a strained look on her face she started waving her hands, "Hey, that doesn't mean I'm some sort of creepy person! No, I just know how to survive!"

"Okay, I guess you're qualified to work here at Zainab Industries, uh Amy Argyle. So uh, what can you do?"

"I'm good at stock and delivery, so you could start me off in the mailroom. Though if you want me working in the stock department I do best by myself, I feel uncomfortable working stock with others." She explained as she zipped up her sack.

"Um thanks, if you can come back tomorrow?"

"What time should I check in then?"

Chuckling nervously she replied, "Try ten in the morning?"

Amy then set the watch she had to the recommended time, "Got it, thanks!"

"That's a nice watch, where'd you get it?"

"Heh, not through what you'd consider the normal route. I rummage through old trash daily, with the house-owners permission of course. Don't worry though, I shower whenever I can. I even have a somewhat decent school education, whenever I can get it."

"You do smell comparatively decent. What is your current grade level?"

Still smiling she replied, "Ninth, not bad for a street girl, don't cha think?"

"And you're sixteen now, let's see... mmm, early or latter?"

"In three months I'll be seventeen."

"So you'd normally be in eleventh grade now?"

"Yeah, I know, but still it's better than nothing."

Amy found herself pressing against the window of a bakery, drooling.

"Oh, that looks so good. But if I buy a loaf now, I won't have enough money to last the week. Still though, I am hungry. Maybe the shop owner will let me work for the bread."

As she backed up from the window a man rudely shoved her back up against it, "Stupid girl, should watch where you're going."

"Sorry sir, I'll try!", Then under her breath, "I hate people like you."

She walked into the bakery and immediately asked for the manager.

A short woman came out and greeted Amy, "How may I help you? Shall I describe to you some of our finer selections?"

"No thanks, I just like to see if I could maybe work for a loaf of your bread?" she asked submissively.

The woman looked at her with confusion, "Hunh? Just for one loaf? What quality?"

"I was interested in your Italian bread, but I don't have the proper money to pay for it, at least not without wasting a week's worth of food allowance. So can I help you out around here?"

"The hell? Yer joking aren't you?"

Amy shook her head, "No ma'am, I'm not. I'm really hungry. I'll work hard, I promise."

"Which bread is you interested in huh?"

Stomach growling she replied, "Uh, the Italian bread please."

A male customer walked in the store and started looking at bread on a table behind her.

"What unusual hair girl, I've never seen anything like it before. Is yous an albino?" The short lady asked as she stretched out and felt it.

A female customer then walked into the store.

The male customer then knocked the table over and grabbed the female by the neck.

Pulling out a gun he began making threats, "If you don't want this woman to die then I want you two to give me all the bread and money this store has. Here, I even have two cloth sacks to help you out!"

The short lady angrily exclaimed, "Bastard! If I was thirty years younger I'd wallop you!"

"Uh, maybe we should do as he says. You don't want a possible customer to die do you?"

"I guess you're right child, but I still hate the idea of him getting away with it. You take care of the bread. I'll handle the cash, just don't get near him unless you have to."

A light smirk appeared on Amy's face, "Don't worry, I'll stay out of provocation range."

Amy had long since mastered use of her unusual extremities, all she needed was a mere 9.8 feet of range to disarm this guy, and this shop was only ten square feet round, which put him under 9.8 feet.

"Sir, I'm going to have to ask you to step away from your hostage."

Seeing that the youth was nowhere near him he replied, "Why would I want to do that?"

"For one she knows tai kwon do, for two, she seems to be agitated and ready to break your arm, and for three, I don't think you'll be able to stop her from doing that."

The crook stood back a moment observing his victim's stance and quickly resumed his position of assumed authority, "She don't look ready to do dat!"

The hostage then started playing along, "If you don't let me go I'll kick your ass!"

"You can't do dat, I gots a gun pointed at your head!"

Amy put a loaf of bread into the bag and smiled, "Can't say I didn't warn you."

The man started screaming in pain when something clutched his arm and started twisting it. The gun fell to the floor and he released his grasp on the gun.

The hostage quickly bent down and picked the gun up.

"Let me go! This fucking hurts!"

"I'll let you go, when you promise to leave this store in peace." Amy replied.

He argued, "I-I have needs! Food, money!"

"I have needs too, but at least I'm earning them."

He cried out in pain as his arm twisted a little more, "Fucking bitch! I'll stop! I'll stop! Just don't breaks my arm, I need it to work!"

"Good, now get out of here, before you really get hurt."  
He ran out of the bakery clutching his arm, "Crazy bitch!"

Amy smiled, "Call me what you wish, but you're not going hurt anyone while I'm here."

"You did it! I can't believe that a girl such as yourself could move so quickly!" the old lady exclaimed, "You've earned that Italian bread, actually you've earned ten loaves of it."

"That's not necessary, I really want to work for it, and just one loaf will do."

The lady sighed, "You is strange girl you know. Fine, if you want to work I'm going to have to ask you to take off your cap and put on a hair restrainer."

"Fine, but please don't look, I'm sensitive about my head."

"Aw don't be so shy, I ain't gonna poke fun at yous. Being bald ain't no crime with mes."

Despite her qualms Amy reluctantly removed the cap.

"Now you can see why I've felt so sensitive."

"Is these horns? Are they's real?"

Amy started getting a mild headache from all the bad grammar, and she was not fussy about grammar herself, "Yes they are ma'am. Do I still have to wear something that'll have them show through?"

"I don't needs peoples poking funs at my employees. Why don't you wear a badamna insteads. I've gots shome out back."

Amy smiled, "A bandanna will be most suitable, thanks."

"'east I could do, you shaved my store after all."

Amy sighed, "Yes, I did. My name is Amy Argyle. I hope you'll quit that false slurring soon, I'm getting quite a headache."

"You got me, I'll stop."

"Thanks," Amy followed the short lady into the backroom.

It wasn't quite ten yet so she waited with the clerk at the desk.

"Hey that's a nice dress. I hope you didn't pull that out of the trash like some other things."

Amy looked down to the ground glumly, "It was a gift from someone I once knew."

"Oh my, I'm sorry, I didn't realize it was from a deceased loved one."

"Don't apologize, he isn't dead, as far as I know."

"Then why so down?"

"I guess it's personal, I'm sorry, I shouldn't intrude."

She sighed, "What's your name?"

"Melody Gipford, why?"

"Do you want to be my friend?"

"I'd like to be friends yeah."

Amy smiled a little, "Then it's not as personal. I can tell a friend."

"You want to tell me?"

"I need to tell someone. I got this dress five years ago, from a man I thought I knew." She began to explain.

"Five years ago? And you don't have a home?"

"Let me continue. Before this man met me his daughter had died, for reasons of which I don't know. When he met me, well he thought that I reminded him of her, white hair, pale skin, the whole works."

"I didn't notice the pale skin."

'Humorous,' Amy thought, "Anyway he wanted to adopt me, so as the first gesture of such he gave me this dress, so that I may be able to wear it several years from then."

"Aw, what a nice man, so why didn't he adopt you?"

"I'm not done yet. He had me try this dress on, and since I only had rags for clothes then they didn't go well with it. After I put the dress on something kicked in his mind, causing him to go insane with lust. Next thing I knew he had, he had shoved me on the bed. And then he, he, he raped me, with me wearing this dress. A few moments later he came to and realized what he had done. He then asked me to kill him, using a shard of broken mirror, because he had also raped his daughter."

With a look of horror on her face she looked away from Amy, "Oh my god. That's horrible. I can understand why you wouldn't kill the guy, but why do you still have the dress? Wouldn't that just be a painful memory?"

"It is, but I couldn't dishonor his daughter. He had wanted to adopt me. I didn't kill him because I wanted him to suffer. Suffer for the pain he caused me, suffer for the pain he caused his dead daughter, and to suffer for the pain he caused his wife. But I do look nice in this, don't I?"

"You're an angel. I wouldn't have the strength to bear such misery, not without first burning a gift from the one who hurt me so. I promise I won't tell a soul about your pain. As a friend." Melody swore.

"I don't care, I just needed to tell someone. And if you knew me, you wouldn't call me an angel. No one would, I'm not even human."

"Amy, let me ask you this. Which do you prefer, the death of all rapists, or their chance to change, even if they never do regret what they've done?"

"I'd have them live of course, the possibility of having them suffer pleases me greatly."

"Then you're an angel in my eyes. Anyone who's been raped and still rather have her rapist live, is an angel to me. You understand the sanctity of life, for life isn't something to be thrown away." She explained as her phone started ringing.

Amy sighed, 'Maybe having a friend would be a good thing. Lord knows I need one.'

"Uh, Mr. Pablo says you can go on up now. He says he'd like to meet you."

"Okay, see you later Melody."

Melody smiled, "Good luck Amy, he's on the ninth floor."

Amy got onto the elevator and closed her eyes, hoping this was the start of a new life.

The smooth elevator motions soothed her mind, one of the few things that comforted her anymore.

When the elevator door opened up she quickly stepped out and saw a hallway direction sign.

"Where is Mr. Pablo's office, hmm, Mr. Pablo, that name seems familiar. Pablo, Pablo, now where have I heard that name before?"

She walked to the left of the direction sign and followed the hallway until she reached a great room with windows surrounding its exterior.

A latino man approached her and gasped, "Wow, you're her. Do you remember me Amy?"

Unsure what he was talking about she just continued on with protocol, "Um, are you Mr. Pablo? You see I came here for a job, and I was told to meet Mr. Pablo."

"I never expected to see you again. And you're wearing that dress. Dear God, is it true? Oh yes, I'm Adam Pablo director of administration."

Realized who it was she was talking with she slowly started panicking, "I can't work here. I can't work here, not with you. There's no way I can work with you."

"I know you must hate my guts by now, but that doesn't mean this company is all that bad. Come now Amy, it'll be alright."

She sought a quick exit, but she only found herself getting closer to one of the many large windows.

"I can't, there's no way I can. This job isn't worth it. I'll just go someplace else. Please no, not again!"

He reached out to touch her, but instead she panicked and used her secondary arms to smash through the window behind her and leapt through it.

"Amy, no!

He tried grabbing her as she fell, but she had already fallen out of reach. All he could do was watch.

Her fall seemed to slow as she neared the ground, in fact she seemed to hover a few feet off the ground before she landed.

His boss charged to the window and exclaimed, "Who the hell is going to pay for this?"

Adam sighed, "I will, after all its my fault she broke it."

He saw a girl go out and meet Amy during one last look, Amy seemed to be fine.

"I'll take care of everything sir."

"What happened?" Melody asked Amy as she ran up to her.

"It was him, the man who, who raped me. What are the chances that I'd meet him here?"

"You're bleeding! Of course there's no way you'd be able to work here. Not under these conditions!"

"Still though, I may have been too drastic. Now I'm going to have to find another place to work, so that I can finally sleep someplace decent."

Melody reached out to Amy, "Um, I feel bad about forcing you to meet him again."

"Its not your fault, there's no way you could have known."

"You may be a strong girl, but you're still just a kid. I'm twenty and I still feel like I'm just a kid myself. I feel so bad about all this."

Amy started to get bothered, "It isn't your fault, you know that. I can take care of myself, another week or so out on the streets won't kill me."

"It very well could! Um, why don't you stay with me for a while, since we're friends and all. I mean, if it isn't a problem for you. It's not like you'll be intruding, since I like invited you and all."

"I couldn't, I wouldn't feel right about it."

Melody rolled her eyes, "Look, once you get a job you can even start paying me rent. Please, just stay with me, I want to feel better about all this."

"Are you sure, I mean I don't want to be a burden."

"Come on, just sit in the lobby while you wait, I'll even bring you snacks. Don't think of it as charity, just a free meal."

"Alright, I'll stay with you, for now. But promise me you won't think of me as a freak."

Melody wrapped her arm around her, "Why would I think that?"

She took off her cap and lowered her head, "These are why, I'm sure I appall you now."

"Then you've misjudged me, I think those knobs look cute. Add a ribbon to it, and maybe no one else will notice. I promise you, nothing you do will cause me to think you're a freak. Except maybe well, if you find a way to change the laws of physics."

"That's funny."

Melody stuck out her chest in pride, "I thought it would be. I may not be a comedian, but I can pull a joke or two when needed."

"Thanks."


	5. Sin

**Chapter Five: Sin**

_Present Day_

"Did you hear about that murderer?" A teenaged girl asked her best friend.

"Do you mean the one that slaughters complete families just to live in their home?"

She nodded, "Yeah, that's the one. I hear he eats their flesh after killing them, so that he never needs to leave the house until the police catch onto him. Then he moves to a new location and does it all over again."

"That's horrible, which direction do the police think he's going?"

"The last city they found evidence of him in was Boulder City, Nevada. The city before that was Ely, Nevada, and the one before that was Richfield, Utah. That means he's traveling westward."

"Then that means we're safe, we're in Palm Springs, a good deal south of Boulder City. He has no reason to travel here."

Her friend looked about nervously, "I'm not sure, I mean, it's not like the homes he hit had any relation to each other. It all seems pretty random to me, other than the westward part and the general homes. I'm actually pretty scared, who knows what he'll do next.

"Ah don't be such a scaredy-cat. I mean seriously, I'm not scared at all. Do you want to know why?"

A deeper voice asked, "Why not?"

"Cause even if that murderer were in this town, there's no way that he'd hurt someone in public."

A girl with two horns and red hair appeared behind her, with the other girl watching.

"Is that right? Then why would the murderer announce his appearance, or should I say..." Immediately then the arm of the girl she stood behind was severed, "Mine!"

"Jenny!" The uninjured girl cried out.

Jenny was then lifted into the air by an unseen force, "Who- who are you?"

"Since I've decided to make my first public appearance I'll grant you the privilege of knowing my name, your last privilege. My name is Leona, Leona the Wretched One. I find that female flesh is the tastiest, and I've devoted myself to find ways to torture young girls such as yourself. Tell me, are you afraid of me now?"

Jenny tried grasping at whatever was holding her, but despite all of her efforts she failed, utterly.

"Damn it, I don't fear you. Why are you doing this to people?"

"Don't hurt Jenny! I'll do anything, I promise!"

Leona smiled wickedly, "It's a little late for that, she's missing an arm isn't she?"

"Don't let her get to you Holly, just get out of here!"

Holly began to slowly back up, but something grabbed hold of her neck.

"Uh, uh, un, you're staying. You're both going to suffer until the last minute. Hmm, give me a second."

Jenny's severed limb flew up into the air and went towards the wretched girl. Leona grabbed the arm and put her nose to it.

"Mmmn, Jenny, your blood smells so pure. I hope you don't mind if I take a bite."

She pressed her face into the mass of blood and muscle and took a large bite out of the limb.

Holly screamed.

"Ah, that's more like it. Holly, do you want some?"

The bloodied limb was shoved into the teen's face causing the girl to cry.

"No, no, no, no, no, no! Leave Holly alone!'

"Aw, now why would I do that? Do you really want to die all alone?"

Jenny nodded, "I'd rather die alone, than to let you kill Holly."

"I'll grant Holly her life then, but she'll watch you die in as much pain as possible."

Holly cursed at her, "Bitch! You're pure evil!"

"Of course I am, from the human standpoint. Of course I'm not human either. You'll suffer greatly when I'm through with your friend, but I'll keep my word, you won't die."

A male passerby saw what was going on and cried out. Leona heard him and used a spare vector to kill him instantly.

"Now to see if you're a virgin Jenny."

"Hunh?" Holly asked worriedly.

In mere moments Jenny's jeans were shredded, leaving her half-naked. Jenny then felt a cold hand slide up her thigh.

"Question for you Jenny, if you answer it I'll spare your friend her physical pain. And of course it'll be quite, quite, revealing."

"Of course I'll answer, anything to lessen her suffering."

Holly cried out, "Don't say anything Jenny!"

"I'm going to die, it's better that I suffer and be killed than to have you suffer and live. Holly, we're still friends." The cold hand worked it's way into Jenny's private place.

"Good, now answer this. Would you rather see me dead, or out roaming the streets, murdering more innocents like you? Answer truthfully now, or I'll rape Holly too."

"Damn you, I mean it, you deserve to be damned to hell!"

"Good girl, you just helped Holly out Jenny. Oooh, you're a virgin!"

The cold hand grasped her hymen and tore it out of her vagina along with some vaginal muscles.

"Aah!" Jenny cried out in pain.

Leona grinned, "It's impressive how such a small muscle like this can cause so much pain when torn or broken. It also is the tastiest part of the female anatomy, such a rarity is so tasty, how suiting."

Leona brought the hymen to her mouth and started chewing it, "MMM! You know, mmf, I didn't start this part of my regiment until last year."

Then she thrust her free vectors into Jenny's gut and tore it out, leaving a gaping hole for Holly to stare through as she cried out Jenny's name.

"Jenny! Why do you have to do this to her, bitch!?" Holly exclaimed, struggling against the invisible hand which was holding her still.

"She's not going to eat anymore anyhow, she doesn't need her stomach. I'm just trying to remove the inedible parts of her. By the way Jenny, any last words before you die?"

She coughed up blood and smiled, "Holly, I loved you. Please try to enjoy the rest of your life, if she lets you live."

Jenny closed her eyes as she began to cry silently, "Goodbye Holly. You were my best friend."

Tears flowing down her cheeks Holly cried out one last time, "NO!!!"

Leona twisted off Jenny's head, and then let her body drop onto the ground, blood gushing from her many orifices.

"God that felt good! What a friend you had Holly, she saved your life, and she didn't even care that she was about to die."  
Holly felt her neck being released but still didn't run away, "Have you ever felt love before?"

"What's it to you girl?"

"I wish to know."

"No, I've never been loved, even as a child, everyone feared me. There, you satisfied now? I've told you why I feel no remorse when I kill. Now go on home, tell your parents, tell the police, and everyone you meet, that Leona, the family murderer, is now roaming the streets killing anyone she meets, with the sole exception of you. And she cannot be stopped!" Leona explained as she tried to start eating Jenny's arm.

"I won't, you'll see that I'll be giving you a favor that you will never deserve. A chance to change, a chance to live in peace."

"Are you insane? I don't want your pity! I'm fucking evil, I need to be caught, I need to be executed!"

"I hate you, I really hate you, but I'll never give you the satisfaction of letting you know you've won. The more people that come after you, the more people that die! I'm doing the world a favor, by letting less people die! If I could kill you myself I would, but since I can't I'll do the next best thing, protect more innocents from dying themselves."

The murderous woman thrust herself up into the air and left Holly standing there.

"Damn that girl, she just won't shut the hell up!"

Holly went to her dead friend and gathered up her body and head, and carried her with her towards her home.

"Earlier this evening in the residential district of Palm Springs two people were murdered in front of seventeen year old Holly Williams; young seventeen year old girl Jenny Rhode, and twenty-three year old Benjamin Dillon. Officials state that Holly refused to give any details on the murderer, but was willing to explain how both were killed, in gruesome detail. Holly now may be possibly facing the charge of accessory to murder. More on this case tomorrow."

Leona let out a loud scream.

"What the hell is going on with this world? That stupid girl won't even let them know what I looked like! I didn't show her friend any mercy! I couldn't even finish eating her friend!"

'You're losing your touch for fear. You should use your genius to further eradicate the human race using even more fear and less sympathy. Kill more, care less.'

"That's what I want to do! I just don't understand how these humans could care so much about one another. Maybe it's the sex, if so then maybe I should try it out for myself. How am I going to do that though, without first scaring the guy away?"

'Put a headband on, making it look like you have a horn fetish and not real horns. You already have the body.'

"Hey, that'll work, and then after he completes his task, I'll kill him! Perfect!"

Leona walked into a local neighborhood bar wearing a tight-fitting red dress she had stolen from the woman who used to own the apartment that she was now staying in.

"Hmm, it seems that many guys hang out here. I'll torch this place as soon as I get the chance."

She noticed that several of them had already begun to notice her, "Perfect, I'll experience this sex soon enough."

A tall blonde guy then approached her, "I swear, I just sold my soul to the devil just to meet someone as beautiful as you."

To play along with his ruse she forced a blush, "Oh, you're just saying that. I'm not that pretty."

"Angels can't compare to your beauty."

She smiled, "Of course not, I'm a demon. And demons always have more seductive bodies."

"And your body has turned mine on."

"Ooh, you're naughty. Leona likes."

"Would you like to come back to my apartment with me?"

'This guy is s-oo easy!' She thought to herself.

"I rather we go to my place, though you'll have to drive."

"Fair enough, just tell me where to drive and we'll go there together."

'Success! Now to distract him long enough to burn this place down.'

"Um, what's your name?"

"Robert Dezeheim, at your service."

"I've gotta pee, so um if you could tell me what your car looks like, I'll meet you there."

"Sure, it's a black Nittan Vicera. It'll be easy to find. I'll be waiting miss."

"Leona, uh, Fleming. Now I really gotta go!"

With false emphasis on her internal bladder she made it seem her urges were real.

"Okay, see you in a bit Miss Fleming."

Leona walked towards the restrooms to complete her ruse.

It didn't take her long to start the flames that would eventually consume the entire block. As she left the bar she collapsed the entryway behind her, preventing anyone else from escaping.

"Let's go Robert!"

Leona sat on the bed still recovering from the orgasm she had a few moments ago, "That was, most pleasurable Robert. Sex and death in one sitting, a nice combo. I can't believe I was a virgin for so long. Still though, it's not worth dying for, though I'd kill for it. Oh wait, I just did."

She then began her feast on Robert's depleted corpse, by plucking his eyeballs out and popping them into her mouth.

"I wonder why my body acted so strangely when he came inside me. I thought that in that stage it was supposed to fill me completely, not sting my abdomen."

Leona clicked the T.V on to keep herself entertained, "I really need to relax, I think I'm going crazy."

The channel she was on was currently showing a program on reproduction, "Reproduction is a tricky process for some women. In some cases some women are rendered unable to bear children. Usually in these cases their wombs have literally been tied shut, in rare cases, some women are born without a womb, causing them great pain during their attempts at reproduction. For all life reproduction is in essence the most important thing in anyone's life, to preserve their own presence in the world. It is most painstaking for women who are unable to have children of their own, and sometimes because of this some commit suicide."

"That couldn't mean! No, that's impossible, I mean, it's not like. Oh god! I'm infertile!"

She fell back onto the bed and stared at the ceiling, trying to allow her thoughts to dissipate into oblivion.

"There's got to be a way, to spread my legacy."

He put his hand onto the stain of the dried blood on the sidewalk.

"It seems this is her work #34, what do you think?"

"She's nearby Torg. I can feel her, she feels depressed at the moment."

He smiled, "Is that so? Maybe we should let her recover."

"I'd prefer to fight her when she's at the top of her game, it wouldn't be nearly as fun to kill her otherwise."

He drew out his sword partway, "This silpelit will die soon enough. Even if other humans die, it'll be worth killing her. Leona, a lion's name, I believe it suits her."

"When we return with Leona's head, I'm thinking the director will appraise us."

"We'll see soon enough Yumiki, but when we return that'll mean your confinement in those chambers. Are you sure you want to do that?"

She smiled wickedly, "Oh, I'm not going to be confined in there for very long, not with your help Torg."

"With my help you could do whatever you desired."  
"Exactly."


	6. Tenderness

**Chapter Six: Tenderness**

_Present Day_

"Isn't it time for school now Amy?"

"Yeah, but let me finish this experiment first!"

Melody stuck her fork into her mouth, and began chewing, "Louk, I dohn't sthink that grhabbing hold of the bedphost will exthend your rhange with your screepy armsh!"

She called back, "I've gotta try something! 9.8 feet is still entirely too short for comfort!"

"Come on! You can fall from eighty feet and barely begin bleeding when you use those things! It's bad enough I can't see them."

Amy fell onto the floor after putting too much strain on her alternate limbs, "Oww. I guess you're right Melody."

"Now hurry on up and get to school! Just because it's only your sophomore year doesn't mean you should miss any of your last week of school!"

Amy grabbed an apple and started eating, "I'm never late, even when I do miss the bus. These arms are quite handy after all."

"It's best not to chance it Amy, each moment you spend with students is an experience you'll never have in the real world. Even though you're eighteen now, it doesn't mean you're ready to lose all those experiences."

"I'm going, I'm going!"

"Good girl, I'll see you after I get off work!"

Amy grabbed her school supplies and ran off for school, waving to Melody as she left.

Melody was about to sit down and finish her pancakes when her cell began buzzing.

"Melody Gipford speaking, who may I ask is this?"

"..."

"Oh, are you sure you don't want her to know about the checks?"

"..."

"I mean, it seems kind a rude to not let her know about such a gesture of apology."

"..."

"Yes sir, I'll just continue to let her think it's all out of my paycheck."

"..."

"Okay sir, I'll do that. Goodbye sir."

"Did you hear about the girl who was murdered yesterday up in Palm Springs?" One student asked another.

"Beheaded, missing gut, and severed right arm, pretty gruesome. Whoever killed her has some serious issues to work out."

"She was also raped, all right in front of her best friend. That's more than serious issues man. Whoever this guy is, is quite sick, and deserves to be sent to the chair."

Amy murmured, "He deserves worse than death. Keep him alive, flail him, castrate him, constantly remind him of his sins, and force him to have an eternal toothache, all while keeping him in the worst section of a prison. The longer he suffers the better."

"What was that Amy?"

"Nothing."

There was cake sitting in front of her with the words Happy Birthday imbedded on top. The teacher who gave it to her was smiling brightly, convincing Amy that this was some sort of trick.

"Haah, thanks. Who told you it was my birthday today?"

She looked surprised, "Your school registrations forms. I'm surprised you even knew your own date of birth."

"My parents died a week after I turned three, I've always remembered that date, though that's the only thing I remember from then. Now tell me, who told you?"

"Come Amy, I told you, school registration forms. Do you really not trust me?"  
Carefully slicing the cake she replied, "You should know the answer to that."

"Well, at least you're touching the cake I made for you. Look Amy, how do you intend to make friends if you don't trust anyone?"

"I do trust some people, take Melody for example, if I didn't trust her, would I be staying in her apartment with her?"

Mrs. Foranda sighed, "Does she go to this school Amy? I want you to make friends with someone closer to your own age, like possibly some of the juniors, as the seniors your age are graduating this week. Will it really kill you to give someone else a chance at earning your trust?"

"I've been hurt enough as it is, I don't want to give someone else then chance to hurt me like that again. Hey, is there pineapple in this thing?"

"Yes, there is pineapple in it, I've watched you go after it often enough during meal times here. Look, it's not as though I'm asking you to get a boyfriend, just someone to talk with, do fun things with, or even simply study with. Nothing would make me happier than to see you sitting at this table with somebody other than me. You don't even need to share any of your personal secrets, I just want you to enjoy your life a little more."  
Amy then cut another slice of the cake and started eating it, "Like anybody would even want to be my friend, for one I'm albino and it plainly shows, for two I'm older than my classmates, and there's a third reason I'd rather not explain to you."

"Does it have to do with why you always wear a headband to school covering the exact same spot everyday?"

"It's hard not to notice, huh?"

"So what, you have a couple of bald spots, like anyone care. While yes it's a shame to lose your hair at such a young age, it's not the weirdest thing in the world."

Amy shook her head, "I'm not bald underneath this thing, that'd be a lot better than what I have stored.

Mrs. Foranda sarcastically remarked, "Then what is it, cat ears?"

"I told you, I'm not telling you, or showing you. The only reason I let Melody know about it was because she was giving me a place to live. She was going to see it sooner or later anyway."

Another eighth of the cake disappeared, "Just talk with someone for me, okay? How about this? If you make a real friend by the end of the week I'll give you a real birthday party, just the four of us."

"Uh, three, you, Melody, and me."

"No, I mean four, the fourth being whoever you new friend may be. One condition, they must not know about the party, or the entire deal will be off."

With the cake now only half of it's former self Amy nodded, "Agreed. Ooh, I'm so full."

"Then may I have a slice?"

"You made the thing, it's only right you have some too."

She carefully cut a portion for herself and smiled, "I guess you're right."

It wasn't like finding a friend within a week was something she really could do. Her pink eyes had the tendency to scare kids away as if they thought it were contagious. Then the sun was a constant aggressor to the situation, as her deathly pale skin is rather sensitive, and sometimes the sun could be deadly to her, as albinos commonly die due to overexposure to direct sunlight; just one of the many reasons why Melody worried about her so much.

The easiest place to meet with other students was on the bus, and most likely the safest. The sunlight was fragmented by the slightly tinted windows, the security guard sitting on the back seat, and the bus driver all kept the bus a safe place for her to be.

"I can't believe I agreed to that. Must've been the cake." Amy grumbled as she tried to get comfortable in her seat.

A girl pulled herself out from behind the seat, "Did you mention cake? I love cake!"

She rolled her eyes, "Everyone likes cake. I was just saying how Mrs. Foranda brought me some cake for lunch."

"Mrs. Foranda, the registrar? She likes cake too?"

"I would think so, since she baked it herself."  
"Sit down please. It's too dangerous to be moving about like that." The security guard requested.

"Fine Gerald. I'll sit, but I'm changing seats!"

The strange girl slipped up front and plopped herself beside Amy.

"Mother says that after the graduation march Saturday that she'll be giving brother a large cake. I can't wait till I graduate next year."

Amy sank down into her seat as she felt quite awkward, "So that means you're seventeen huh?"

"Uh huh! I got an awesome cake for my birthday two months ago. It had seventeen candles, a gingerbread house, the best tasting frosting, and lots of candy! Um, who're you? I'm Brandy Lipscomb, I'll be a senior next year, and I love cake!"

"I got that, thanks. Um, I'm Amy Argyle. Junior next year. You don't happen to have some sort of disease to cause you to be so... hyper, do you?"

"You're an alby, and I'm an addy, weird huh?"

"Alby? Addy?"

"Oh sorry, I forgot to explain. Stupid me! Alby is short for albino, and addy is sorta long for A.D.D. or uh, Attention, uh, Defishunt, uh, Desordir."

"Don't you mean Attention Deficit Disorder?"

Brandy tilted her head for a moment and then lifted her head as if she understood something, "Yeah, that's it. Duh, how stupid can I be! Anyways that doesn't matter, you may wonder how an idiot like me winds up being a senior by the time she's seventeen! Well wonder no more! Ooooh, your hair's sooo silky, like silk! Oh, yeah, senior class. Um, I've got this tutor who like helps me focus on homework and all, so I can actually study just as fast as the rest of the kids my uh, age. Each time I get an A on my tests I get an awesome cake!"

"Well, if you just put your mind to it then you can do anything I guess."

"That means even a weirdo such as me can get a friend. Yeah, you may be wondering, how is it that a cutie such as me cannot get friends? Well I'll tells you, it's cause of my hyperness. Yup, that's it. It's rather lonely without friends, but I cope. I'm happy just knowing my family is still with me. Did you know, that there are actually some very unlucky people who have to live without any friends or family?"

'Oh, man, why does this sound so familiar?'

"They don't like you because you're weird?"

"Yeah, it sucks don't it. Do peoples make fun of you?"

Amy's heart twinged, "Yeah, they used to, until I came to this school."

"Let's be friends wit' each utter, that way we can be lonely together!"

"Wa? Wait, I didn't...!"

"I know let's go to a store and get some cake!"

Brandy grabbed onto Amy's arm and started hugging it.

"Hey! Hey... Come on... Ohh..."

Brandy had placed her head on Amy's arm and snuggled into it.

"Your arm is sooo soft. So very soft..."

"Ah. Oh man, she's asleep. Ohh."

She put her own head against the bus window and sighed, "I guess I'm stuck with her."

Then Brandy stirred a bit, "Gerald, is it okay if I stay with Amy for the afternoon?"

The security guard replied, "Yes Miss Lipscomb, I'll tell your mother to pick you up in a couple of hours."

"Thanks."

She immediately went back to sleep.

"Am I really that trustworthy?"

Gerald replied, "Don't misjudge Miss Lipscomb. Even though she appears foolish she is actually amongst the smartest students in the entire country. She's also an amazing judge of character, but very lonely. It's been a long time since she's ever had a friend. Her last friend died three years ago of illness. I trust she chose well in you."

"Aw man, what have I agreed to?"

"You live here? Wow! Do you have any cake?"

"If you're lucky, then maybe. I just turned eighteen today, so it's possible."

Brandy's eyes began to glow, "Cool! Birthday cake! The most awesomest kind!"

"If you think so. I wouldn't really know yet. I haven't really had much cake before."

"Why not? Doesn't your momma cook cake?"

"Bake."

"Huh?"

"Uh, nevermind."

Amy unlocked the first door of the apartment house and held it open for Brandy.

"Go on ahead, I've got to relock this door for the other tenants' protection. Melody's apartment is up two floors."

"Melody? Don't you mean momma's?"  
"No, I mean Melody's, my mother, and father, are both dead."

Tears formed in Brandy's eyes, "That's sad. That's really sad. I wish they weren't dead."

'Does she ever stop?'

"For some reason I don't. I've never felt sadness over their death."

She began to cry, "Why don't you? You should never have to live life without our parents! Not yet! At least your sister is still alive!"

"Melody isn't my sister. I was their only child."

"So you don't have a family anymore?"

Amy shook her head, "No, though Melody tries."

She sniffed, and then lightly smiled, "Then I'll be your sister too!"

"No, you don't have to do that Brandy."

"Since I'm a grade higher than you, I think I'll be your big sis!"

Amy fumbled with the lock and broke the key in it, "Aww- no!"

"No?"

"I broke my room key!"

"Dabbit! I guess we'll never get into your apartment now!"

Amy thought a moment and then remembered something, "Hey uh, Brandy, I have an idea, but I need you to turn around for just a moment, it's a secret technique of mine."

"Sure!"

After she was sure Brandy had faced the opposite wall she extended an arm into the doorknob and twisted the key, opening the door. Then using the same extra limb she pulled the key out, very carefully.

"It worked!" She exclaimed, surprised.

"Good job little sis! There isn't nuttin you can't do if you don't put ya mind to it!"

'How I wish it were simply a skill, instead of an addition to my demonic horns.'

"Ah, it's nothing really, um go on in."

"Thanks! You are so courteous!"

She sighed and followed her inside, still shaking her head in slight confusion.

Brandy immediately ran to a nearby window and pressed herself up against it.

"Oh pooh, it's raining! I hate rain, cause it means that someone's having a bad day nearby and is feeling down. It's terrible knowing that someone's not feeling well. Now I feel bad."

She began pouting as she stared out the window.

"Did you have a bad day today?"

Brandy turned to look at Amy, "No! Today has been great! Great, great, great, great, great! Very, very, very, great! La, la, la, la, great!"

"Forget I asked. I hate the rain too, but for much different reasons. I've spent thirteen years finding ways to avoid sleeping in it, rarely gaining much success."

"Used to be homeless you were? Cause parents die? Then some time later you met big sis Melody and moved in wtih her?"

Amy struggled to keep up with the speed of her explanations, "Uh, something like that. But Melody isn't my sister!"

Brandy poked Amy's stomach with her nose, "Ooh, your belly feels so soft! I wish I had such soft skin! Maybe now that I'm your big sis I'll get softer skin!"

"I-I don't think-"

"I know, that won't work, but I like to pretend. Like you pretend you has nothing to hide underneaths that headband of yours. You goes through lots of trouble to protect yourself. I know hows that feel. Maybe a cake will loosen you ups."

Amy pushed Brandy away from her, "You don't know how I feel at all. I don't care how smart you really are!"

Brandy grabbed the headband and pulled it off, "You've known anguish. Character attacks. The worst of name calling. Despite great pains, you still struggle to fit in. Yet there is still something about you I do not understand, a deeper worse pain."

"How can you tell that?"

She smiled, "Big sisters know these things. I may be idiot but even stupids like me can see your sufferings."

"Stop doing that."

"Doings what?"

"You're not stupid, your short attention span doesn't cause you to be stupid."

Brandy then glomped her new friend, "You're so smart little sis! You know my secret! I guess it only fair, as I know one of yours. Strange things those pointy horns, too bad they aren't ears. Oooh, your breasts are sooo, sooo, sooo, very soft!"

The shock of the glomping forced Amy off balance and caused her to fall onto the floor. Brandy then snuggled into her and fell asleep on Amy's chest.

"Not again!"

She quickly gave up her struggle and dozed off herself.

Amy woke to see Melody smiling in the oddest of ways, "Had fun?"

"What do you mean?"

Melody glanced further down, "I never would have thought that this is how you'd celebrate your birthday without me."

Drool oozed onto her chest, causing Amy to glance down herself. She found Brandy still asleep and laying on Amy's now naked breasts, groping one of them.

"Augh! It's not what it looks like!"

Brandy stirred, "Shh, little sis, I can't hear your heart beat."

"This is better than any birthday present I could get you. Though I didn't think you'd get a friend who's like this."

Amy whispered, "I told you, it isn't what it looks like. She's this girl I met on the bus back here. Seriously, she's freaky. Uh, could you get her off me?"

"What? You can't do it yourself? What about your 'arms'? I say you just didn't want her off. She's cozy isn't she?"

"Hey, I'm being serious here! She's just wants to be my friend!"

Brandy made some more clutching motions with her hand, "Sooo, soft, sooo very soft. I wish you were really me little sis."

"I'll help, but it'll wake her, and she's going to stay for the meal I have planned for you. I can't believe that on your very first date that she's calling you sis, or even little sis."

Amy then noticed a bit of blood underneath Melody's glistening green hair.

"You're hurt."

She licked two of her fingers and placed it onto her forehead, "Oh, that, I slipped as I walked back home in the rain. I'm fine, but sore."

"How about this Melody, instead of waking my new friend Brandy manually, why don't we use some, if you got any, Birthday, uh C-A-K-E?"

"Is that what she likes? Fine then I'll pull it out early. I don't mind. Especially with her being your new girlfriend!"

"Cut that out! I think she's just very uh sensitive to uh..."

"Soft skin? I get it. Don't worry, I was just playing with you."

After sighing she tried to wipe Brandy's drool off her chest, "It's not funny."

"Well, you never have attempted to get a boyfriend, so really it's only logical for this to be the other option. But if you really do decide to get yourself a girlfriend I won't stop you, just no hanky panky stuff whenever I'm home."

Melody disappeared into the kitchen, leaving Amy on the floor.

"Man, this is so embarrassing. Hey, how'd she get my bra off?"

Careful not to disturb Brandy she began to feel about herself. She checked underneath her bunched up blouse that had been pushed up to her collar and found that her bra had been treated similarly.

Her movements roused her friend from sleep, "Something bothering you little sis? Oh, I drooled. Where you trying to change blouses?"

"No, I was trying to-"

Melody came back out carrying a multi-candled cake, "Happy birthday Amy."

Brandy rolled off Amy and crawled over to the woman holding the cake, "Yay, ca-ake! I loove cake! But I didn't get you a present!"

Amy then hastily recovered herself, "No need Brandy. If we're going to be friends all you need to do is help me enjoy my eighteenth birthday."

"You have pretty green hair, uh Meldy?"

"Thank you Brandy, but the name is Melody. I'm so glad that you're Amy's friend, she doesn't really have any."

"We'll make great friends, your pretty green hair, Amy's soft, soft skin, and my love of cake! Is that chocolate?"

Amy sighed and got up, "Before we dive into the cake Brandy how about letting me blow the candles out, I hear it's tradition."

"Make a wishy wish! Wish for cuter horns, wish for fun, wish for family, wishy wishy wishy! Make a wish and blow them out! Maybe you wish will come true!" Brandy exclaimed excitedly.

She inhaled deeply and paused a moment to think, then she blew as hard as her lungs allowed, extinguishing the flames ontop each candle.

"Yay! You did it! Hope you wish comes true!"

Amy smiled, "Me too."


	7. Despair

**Chapter Seven: Despair**

_Monday_

_4:30 am_

It had only been a few hours since she had begun sulking, but it had seemed like months. How was she to create a better haven for her species if she couldn't bear children? No, she wasn't planning on having children yet, but still, she had hoped she could eventually.

"God! Am I to suffer eternally because I was born into this body? Are even you prejudiced against me?"

Then she recalled once again the care that girl had shown for her friend even though she was about to die.

"I bet she regretted not having a child, even if she were only seventeen. And what is this love her friend talked about really?"

'Who cares about this love? You can have anything your heart desires including men! Sure you can't have kids, yet, but there's bound to be a way!'

"Hmph, I'll just have a doctor check me out, probably a gynecologist. Then I'll know for sure. I don't want to die without having some sort of immortality. I'm a diclonius damn it, what ever that means!"

Leona finally put some clothes on and headed out, despite it being four in the morning.

"Are you enjoying yourself #34?"

Yumiki put down her spoon and smiled, "I do Torg. you've always known that. What is this thing called again?"

"Some call it a Flurry, but I prefer to call it Avalanche, considering how much this mixture looks like one."

She chuckled, "A symbol of destruction, how... suiting."

"I thought so."

Yumiki shifted on the grass as she stared into the night sky, "I almost wish that night would never end, for it's lavish beauty is never-ending. The darkness also brings out humans' true selves, the urge to do things they'd never feel comfortable doing in the direct daylight. Compared to humans at night I'm a mere human, making them the monsters. How, ironic."

"Agreed Yumiki. But then this world wouldn't be as interesting now would it? Wondrous destruction that is beyond compare, destruction which pales the most deliberate of terrorist attacks. If you could, you'd destroy them all, wouldn't you?"

She smiled as she stared into the sky, "All but you Torg."

"Just me?"

"I'd save a human girl that you like. So you can bear my child of course."

Torg then stood up and stretched, "Hmm, I forgot about our trump card. Should I feed her now?"

"Today will be the last day we'll be needing her Torg, let her starve. It's time to move."

"Is our friend stirring then?"

"She is, and she doesn't even know we're here." She got up herself and walked back to the motor vehicle that was parked nearby.

"Perfect dear Yumiki, this is perfect."

"Are there no gynecologists available at this hour?" Leona demanded.

The medical worker shook his head, "I'm sorry, but you're just going to have to wait until nine a.m. miss. Though, I don't see why'd you need one this early in the morning."

"Damn it, I must find one immediately! Tell me, who are your resident gynecologists?"

"Look, I'm not going to have you disturb them until it's time for them to come to work and that's final. Come back in four hours and maybe you'll get to meet one of them!"

Licking her lips she put her forehead to his, "Don't you know it's rude to shout at your possible patients?"

"I apologize, now please leave."

"With your head!"

He had no time to respond as his neck twisted violently and then was disconnected from his body, tearing the flesh and muscles. Blood then squirted onto Leona's face as the body fell onto the ground.

"How terrible, you didn't suffer, but I'm in a bad mood. Maybe now I'll get more of the information I need."

She roved over to the nearby desk and quickly began scanning the contact files.

"Gastrectomy, Germination Labs, Gluteallogy, aha Gynecologists!"

She removed the page listing the locations and phone numbers of the doctors and quickly left the building, drinking of the young medical worker's blood as she went.

"Dakota Cummings. For her sake I hope she's not home, but personally I hope she is." Leona commented as she stood in front of the house she presumed to be the doctor's home.

She unlatched the gate that led to the front door and immediately scared off the guard dog.

"For some reason I don't feel like killing you pup. I'll take care of your master soon enough though."

Not even knocking she sliced the door latch off and pulled the door open. Leona went in immediately and somewhat shut the door behind her.

She began to silently look for leverage in case the good doctor didn't submit to her will.

Bringing a flashlight to a series of photos Leona found that this Dakota woman was all alone, other than the dog. Sure a few friends here and there but she had no nearby family.

Leona continued searching for other things that may threaten to shame her or cause her worry.

"Damn, nothing. Oh well, I just hope she values her life then."

Then Leona had to suddenly shield her eyes from bright light as a blunt object hit her on the head.

"Oh shit, never expected that."

'Thump!'

Her head felt quite sore as she woke.

"I'd have you arrested, but first I want to know why you're here. You haven't actually attempted to steal anything yet. I'm sure if you were wanting to kill me you'd have been less careless. So I'm concerned."

Leona groaned as she attempted to move, "To tell the truth I was looking for some sort of leverage to get you to-to uh."

"You're an idiot, all you needed to do is knock, ignoring the dog. What is it do you think you need checking, crook?"

Leona reached within herself to pull out her vectors and attempted to grab at her, but then an electric current zapped through her body.

"Oh I forgot to mention, I've tied you with an electric cord designed to shock you into a state of temporary paralysis whenever I feel like it. So no funny business."

"I want to know if I can bear children or not." Leona answered reluctantly.

"Then I need to get to the hospital and get some equipment. You're such a stupid crook. I'm glad I'm such a light sleeper. I'll be back."

"Go ahead, take your time."

Another current of electricity jolted through Leona's body.

"I don't intend to."

Dakota left the room and turned off the lights behind her. The room had gone completely dark, and Leona was sure that the woman had shut the door behind her.

"Da-amn, that fucking hurts! At least I'm alone now. I've got to untie this cord and free myself."

Another shockwave coursed through her body, Leona groaned in response as her vectors where repelled.

"This is going to be such a damn hassle. I don't want to meet the police quite yet."

A portion of the ceiling made some cracking noises above her. Leona also heard some clacking noises on the ground some feet in front of her.

"What the hell?"

The ceiling was then smashed open, briefly allowing sight of the night sky before two figures dropped through it.

"Nice, it's dark." someone with a deep voice commented.

Someone with an alto-like pitch replied, "Moonless night, dark room, and Leona. Are you bound?"

"Damn it! Let me loose! This thing keeps zapping me!"

"I don't think she remembers our voices dear." Said the high pitched voice.

"Should we loose her first? Or do we kill her here?"

The female giggled, "Heehee, no no, we're polite. Introductions first."  
Leona's eyes were starting to adjust a bit with the starlight, "I'll do it myself! Aaah!" A surge of electricity had once again charged her body.

"Don't interrupt us Leona, that's just rude. How are we going to re-introduce ourselves to you otherwise?"

"Now I recognize you two. Torg and #34 or Yumiki. No wonder you know who I am. Why didn't I feel you near?"

"I don't know, but I don't care either. Torg dear, cut her free, we need a proper fight."

Squeezing her arms together Leona braced herself, not trusting either of the two. After a moment of waiting nothing happened, so she relaxed herself.

"Hey what happened to fucking relea...!"

A cold blade sliced through the cord, causing it to send out one last surge of electricity through her body, and the blade also skinned a small portion of her left arm.

The cord fell around the chair she was bound to, allowing her to grasp her skinned arm, "Damn it. You cut me."

Yumiki showed a momentary lapse of concern, "Is any of your movement restricted by it?"

"I believe I just removed a small portion of her flesh, nothing to be concerned about #34."

Leona growled, "He's right, it's a little painful, but I still control my full range of movements."

"Good, that means not only do you have full support from your vectors you also have a full range of fluidic motions. This will be fun, but this room is entirely too small. We'll battle on the roof, under the last of the night sky."

'Yeah right, like I'll even stand a chance against them.'

Yumiki rolled her head, "And don't even try to attack us from behind, I'm ready for it, and if you do try, I'll kill you where you stand!"

Torg mumbled as he leaped up ahead of her, "So much for full force."

Reluctantly Leona followed them and lifted herself up to the roof using her vectors. She found that the roof was flat, almost adobe-like. Secured gravel covered the entire roof, making for a decent arena.

When her eyes locked with Yumiki's she spoke, "Why do you insist on fighting when you could've simply killed me when I was bound?"

"I love a challenge from cowards, and only coward silpelits like you pose any challenge to me. I could have killed you even earlier if I wanted to, as I've been in this town for twelve hours, and I've known exactly where you were from the moment I stepped in range. Unfortunately for me, you were rather depressed, and I know it wasn't because of me."

"Do you know if I can have children or not Yumiki?"

Mischievously she replied, "I know some about of your reproduction organs, as all us silpelits share two common factors involving reproduction. Whether I'll tell you or not depends on how I feel. Can you make me feel well enough to explain?"

"That means I can't flee then. Not until you explain at least."

"Exactly. Now fight with all your spirit!"

Twelve vectors were thrust about the rival silpelit's body all of which posed to strike.

"To be fair, I'll even have my dear make a handicap for you."

Using his steel wakizashi he sliced through a large stone section of chimney and let it fall beside him.

He replied, "If you want this chip off the old block you'll have to get to it first. I promise you silpelit, it will not be simple."

Leona frowned, "I don't need any handicap, as I can handle myself!"

She charged towards Yumiki head first, guarding it with her own vectors. #34's vectors were unable to penetrate the four-vector shield Leona had set up.

"Not bad for a coward. Are you really sure this information is worth it though?"

Her normally amber eyes glowed a deep shade of red in blood lust and she began to growl like a wolf.

"Ooh, listen to the big bad wolf. She actually thinks she can take me. Don't make me laugh."

Despite Yumiki's vectors Leona pummeled through, getting numerous injuries along the way, and imbedded a horn into her pelvic region.

Using her vectors again Leona shoved her opponent back several feet.

Yumiki didn't even blink.

Torg charged towards her with his sword drawn. When he got near Leona she threw him against the distant chimney.

"If you don't tell me whether or not I can have children I'll kill him!"

Yumiki saw that her threat was very much real as Leona's vectors had been placed upon his neck, "How much do you know of the diclonius race, oh Leona the Wretched One?"

"Only what I've been able to discern, what we're called, these arms known of as vectors, the horns, and that we're all known to be bloodthirsty."

"Then there's only a little left for you to learn that we don't already know. We, the diclonius, are a superior species of humans. According to the late Professor Kakuzawa of the diclonius Research Institute in Japan we are destined to one day overthrow the human race and create a whole new world of our own. In order to do that though we need to first breed. Human contact is necessary for our survival early on. I really don't intend on telling you more than that, well except the fact that we do not have the equipment necessary to bear children ourselves." Yumiki smiled as she slowly began approaching her nemesis.

"Then I'll kill him!"

Her vectors were about to destroy Torg's neck, but they were then shoved away by a pair of seven vectors.

"I have a much longer range than you do Leona, give it up. Besides if you kill him I'll kill the last survivor of your family, and then I'll kill you too. And yes, we have your sister, Leona the Wretched One, or should I say Leona Voraci?"

This caught her off guard, "My sister? You kidnapped Wendy? To use as leverage against me? The wretch who'd kill and eat any who'd stand against her? Why do you even think I'd care if she dies?"

"So you'd have someone of your blood to be able to pass your memetic legacy to. She can bear your children, if she survives. And yes, I mean your children, they'll have your DNA encoded in them, and they'll be diclonius. How she gets pregnant is entirely up to you. But I'll still not tell you how to implant your DNA into her, you'll just have to figure that out on you own."

Unsure of this she proceeded with caution, "Where is she?'

"In a parking lot some miles north of here."

Leona approached the silpelit and sneered, "I have another question for you."

"Yes, what is it?"

"Have you had sex before Yumiki?"

Torg stepped in, "No she hasn't, she is still only fifteen. Why?"

Yumiki's eyes widened in terror as she realized that a cold ethereal hand reached inside her without her previous knowledge. It grasped the hymen and several other muscles and tore itself out of her pelvic region.

"You'll never know the pleasure. You lost both your virginity and the ability to have sex to me. You'll never even have a first as long as you live!"

Torg roared as he saw the blood burst from his charge, and blindly impaled his wakizashi into her assailant's torso, piercing to the other side, a moment before his legs were severed from his body.

"Yumiki, forgive me, I have not killed her."

A stray vector threw Leona off the building with the sword still imbedded through her chest.

The world grew dark as she fell towards the ground.

"Damn."


	8. Grudge

**Chapter Eight: Grudge**

_Tuesday_

Amy found herself wearing the yellow lily patterned dress again, though she wasn't sure why.

She was also standing in front of a broken dresser that had a shattered mirror. Something about this room caused her flesh to tingle with cold fear.

"Where... am I?"

The broken dresser was covered in blood, dried blood.

A female voice spoke, "This is the place where you learned control. Though you never did use it properly."

Amy looked to see who it was that was speaking, but she found no one.

"Control of what?"

"Your power. The tools that will grant your every desire. You, we, have the power to control our destiny. Yet you have to use this power properly."

The arms she had kept bound within herself let themselves loose and shredded the dresser.

"This is only the beginning!" the voice boomed.

A man hobbled into the room, holding a large glass shard, "Why didn't you kill me Amy? I deserve to die."

"Use your arms to grant his desire. He raped you. He took away something that can never be replaced. Use your other arms and cause him to die a painful death. It is only befitting of a rapist like him to die like that, and it wouldn't be murder if he asks you to kill him."

The albino clutched her head and shouted, "Assisted suicide is murder! I'm not evil!"

Adam, using the shard of mirror, deeply stabbed his left arm, "I mustn't be allowed to do this to another girl like you!"

"It wouldn't be evil to end his life like this! It would be mercy! Letting him live and suffer with his sins, now that is truly a crime!"

Amy shuddered as she put pressure on her head, "I won't do it. I won't kill him!"

"You, we, don't have a choice. Destroy him now, or we will."

She gripped her horns and started pulling at them.

"TOO LATE!"

Her four telepathic arms shot towards him and tore him apart.

"NOOO!"

"Nooo!" She cried out.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, Amy it's okay! It's just a dream!"

Amy continued shaking in terror.

"Damn it, it's just a dream Amy! Wake up!"

Melody shook Amy as hard as she could bear.

Amy's hands slid upward pressing harder against her horns. Then her hands started bleeding, upsetting her caretaker further.

"Just wake up!" Using the back of her right hand she slapped Amy in the face.

In a heap of sweat she finally woke. Amy looked down at her hands and saw that they were covered in blood, and she screamed again.

"Amy, Amy! Snap out of it. You were having a dream."

She began sobbing, "I killed him. My hands are proof of that. I'm a murderer!"

"You just cut yourself. And I'm quite sure that whatever you dreamed you did is not something you would have desired to do in real life."

"Damn it! I'm not human! Who knows what I'll really do?"

Melody was taken aback, "You swore. That's not like you."

"That's my point. I'm not even sure what I am anymore."

"Enough Amy, don't do this to yourself. It was only a damn dream. Don't let one dream control how you act. Just be yourself. You can do that much, right?"

Amy stared at her hands, "What am I?"

"You're who you are. That's all I know. For now you're a normal teenage girl who is caring and unselfish. I don't know what you'll become, but I'm sure it won't be that person in your dream. Now come on, get ready for school."

"But..."

"You're things are ready, no arguing. I'm sorry, but even in this state of mental chaos, you still need to go. Once you get to the kitchen I'll bandage your hands. That's that."

"Alright."

As Amy sat down on the bus Brandy pounced on her.

"Good mo-orning little sis! Did you sleep well?"

Amy groaned, "Not really. You don't help much either."

Brandy hugged her new friend tightly, "Oh come on little sis, smile for Brandy."

"Are you ever in a bad mood?"

In response she hugged her even tighter.

"Hey, lay off!"

When Brandy pressed her face against Amy's she started cooing, "Such soft skin. How did your skin get to be so soft?"

"Why me?" She whined.

"It's 'cause we're friends! Ooh, look! A pretty birdie!"

"So you like birds?" Amy asked as she tried pushing Brandy's hair out of her face.

"I like lots of tings. There are tings I don't like tho, like those cuts on your hands. Seeing my friend hurt is someting I don't like."

"Yeah, I guess it wouldn't be a good thing to know."

Brandy settled down a bit and took Amy's hands into her own, "Meldy did a good job wrapping them tho. What happened?"

Amy looked away, "I had a nightmare, I sliced them on my 'knobs'."

"You don't like your horns do you? How'd you get them?"

Quietly she replied, "I was born this way. I'm not fit to be called human."

Tears welled up in Brandy's eyes, "Don't say that! Your mother was humans wasn't she? Your daddy was human too wasn't he?"

"Yes."

"You just were born different that's all little sis. Just like being alby is all cause you were born different. Being different is what make you, you." Brandy clarified as she brought the bandaged hands to her face.

"I'm just not human, okay. I'm dangerous to be around." She retorted.

The orange haired girl wiped her tears, "Dabbit! Little sis, don't listen to those stories of the white haired demon of Wilmont High!"

She pulled her hands away, "So you've heard. And yet I still don't bother you at all. Well guess what, I am a demon."

"Dabbit, dabbit, dabbit! You actually believe this! I taut I was the dummy, but no you're dummier! Horns are just horns!"

Amy looked across to the aisle and saw two students staring at them, "Tell that to everyone else. Do you know why I've kept these 'things' a secret all this time?"

"Yes, I do little sis. You don't want peoples to hurt you because of them. You're afraid to let people close to you because of them. And you're correct, most peoples will be afraid of you cause of these, but if you don't let people near you then no one will have a chance to like you. Don't let your former pain overwhelm you. Little sis I'll protect you from the people who'll try to hurt you."

Amy slapped her 'big sister', and a loud resound smack sound reverberated throughout the bus.

"I don't need your protection! I'm not letting anyone else hurt me! Dammit! No one else!"

Brandy shuddered as she put a hand to her now red cheek, and slowly began crying.

"Friends protect each other. But it seems I've already failed, as I've hurt you myself with my words. I'm a horrible friend."

The darkness that had been buried inside her for all these years had swelled immensely, 'She is a horrible friend. We can solve this problem for her. All we have to do is…'

"Never." Amy stated out loud.

"Oh Amy! Thank you!" Brandy grabbed her waist and squeezed.

'Who needs the pain? Prevent any further misery and kill her!'

"Pain is preferable to nothing."

"You don't need to bear pain alone! Share your pain with me and it'll you'll only have to bear a quarter of it!"

The darkness persisted, 'Then kill the one who caused the pain to begin with, Pablo!'

"Is it worth it though?" Amy asked.

Brandy wailed, "Yes! I don't mind. Anything to help you feel more human!"

'Don't listen to her, you've always been a demon girl. How else do you explain your other arms? Nothing she can do will change what you are! Kill Adam Pablo and get it over with!'

"Human, not likely. Demon with a heart maybe. Human, definitely not."

"Will you though, share you pain I mean?"

'We have what it takes. Are you ready to do what is necessary?' the darkness asked.

"Yes."

Amy leaned into Brandy and just sat there in silence as she pondered on how she'd end her pain.

Mrs. Foranda had not come to check on her today, but Amy didn't care. She had only one thing on her mind all day, and she didn't really want to be disturbed from her thoughts.

None of the teachers noticed the fact that she had been unusually quiet through all the classes. This provided her more time to think.

She even sat on the bus on the way back ignoring Brandy as she thought.

'Just a few more minutes before we can carry out our plan. We'll just be doing him a favor so it doesn't matter. It's all justifiable.'

It was rather easy to ignore her 'older sis' for she had fallen asleep against her, and once again she invited herself over to stay at her place.

'Kill him and get it over with. That's all that is necessary. He raped you Amy, and he wanted to die. Putting him out of his misery is charity work, and charity is what we do.'

"And end mine." She said silently.

Brandy stirred, "What was that little sis?"

"Oh, nothing."

"Okay. Just call me big sis when we get there." She replied as she snuggled against Amy's arm.

'Less pain to share with her. Less pain for us to bear. It's all worth it.'

'Just keep telling yourself that.'

"Where are we going today little sis?" Brandy asked as they walked along the sidewalk.

"We're going to visit Melody at work. I thought you'd like to see it, it's a place called Zainab Industries."

Brandy then got distracted again, "Is that a cake shop? Can I gets some?"

"Not now Brandy. Too much cake is bad for you. And we had some yesterday, didn't we?"

Then as though she had forgotten something Brandy panicked, "Ahh! No! Did I?'

They had to stop walking for a moment as she began to frantically search her backpack.

"What is it? Did you leave something at school?"

Brandy pulled out her lunchbox and opened it, "Phew. I still have it."

"Let's go then. I'd like to get there as soon as possible."

She smiled, "When I learned of you birthday yesterday I felt bad that I didn't bring a present for you. So when I got home I thought that this might make a decent late present."

"Hunh?"

"I know it isn't much, but I'm sure you'll like it." She put her hand in the box and pulled something out, "It's string cheese. I got you four packs of it."

"String cheese?"

She smiled with a weary look on her face, "Have you eaten string cheese before?"

'Ignore her! You don't have the time for this!'

"I haven't yet. Why is it called string?" Amy asked, honestly interested in Brandy's kindness.

She opened a pack and pulled the stick of cheese out of its container, "This stick of cheese can turn stringy, watch!"

'Listen to us! We must move now! No time for these foolish antics! Amy!'

Grabbing hold of opposite sides of the stick of cheese she pulled the sides apart.

"Just keep pulling at the pieces to make it smaller and tastier. I don't know how small it can get in string form but it's fun."

Amy's eyes were transfixed on the separated pieces of cheese, "It tastes better as it gets smaller?"

"Try some, both a large piece and a smaller piece."

Amy took a half for herself and tore off another section .

'Do you even care that man raped you? Screw the cheese and move it!'

"This feels so… odd." Amy stated as she dropped the larger piece into her mouth.

Brandy smiled as she waited for a response.

"The first piece almost tastes like normal cheese, but the smaller piece well, its hard to describe, but with less sustenance its flavor seems to increase."

'Is that enough for you? Can we go on and get revenge now?'

After she grabbed the other half of the stick of cheese from Brandy's hand she was assaulted by her, "Oooh, so you do like it! Wonderful!"

"Come on we should hurry. I want to get to Zainab Industries before Melody gets off." She stated as she gluttonously started peeling at the stick.

"Yay! Zainab Industries, we're going to the place my little sis's sister works! Zainab Industries? Hmm." She clung tight to Amy as her thoughts started to wander.

"Aggh, I'll never get there now!"

"MELDY!" Brandy cried out when they finally got to the office building.

As usual Melody was sitting behind the clerk's desk answering phone calls on multiple lines. When she heard Brandy's outburst she was force to drop the phone.

She quickly picked the phone back up and apologized, then she hissed, "What are you guys doing here? I can't have you bringing her over when I'm working!"

The hyper youth charged to Melody's desk in excitement, "Wow! This place is so open!"

Melody's eyes narrowed, "This isn't a good time. Hey, don't touch that!"

Ignoring the two Amy approached the elevator and pushed the up button.

"What does this industry makes anyways?"

"Shh! I'm talking to some very important clientele here!" Melody hissed.

The elevator door then opened, and as Amy stepped towards it a man holding a gun shot her in the stomach.

"Dammit, I've gotta get out of here!" He cursed as he pushed her against the wall.

In shock Amy looked down at herself and saw a large quantity of blood ooze from where she had been shot, and turned towards the assailant.

Giving him no time to run her telepathic arms shot out towards him and tossed him against a distant wall at full strength. The next moment a security guard rushed to him and cuffed him.

Brandy screamed when she saw the blood, "Amy!"

"Aw, crud."

She passed out onto the floor, slowly covering the floor with her blood.


	9. Wounds

**Chapter Nine: Wounds**

_Wednesday_

_10:30 am_

ZZZT!

Leona groaned as she was forced to wake up by the electricity, "Damn it. Can't I die without being electrocuted?"

A faint chuckle came from across the room as yet another jolt of electricity coursed through her pained body.

"God, don't tell me this is Hell. To be forever electrocuted by a madwoman." Leona groaned.

The clacking of heels could be heard as the woman walked over towards her confined prisoner, "I'm not that cruel, especially since you're a patient of mine. You're actually pretty lucky I'm not only a gynecologist, but also a surgeon. Those horns of yours are quite fascinating, maybe I should report you to a research lab."

"You did surgery on me? I-I don't get it."

She noticed that Dakota was wearing a black dress when she leaned over her, "How the hell do you not remember having a sword jabbed through your chest?"

"So that really did happen, God. So the sword didn't pierce my heart then. And I didn't kill the bastard, damn it!" Leona then attempted to throw out her vectors at Dakota, but instead a surge of electricity zapped her again.

Oddly enough the gynecologist smiled, "So I was right, you are a murderer on the run. Who destroyed my ceiling, the guy who jabbed you with the sword or you?"

Leona growled.

"Seriously, I didn't wake you just for you to glare at me like that. You had been asleep for two days now I'd a thought you'd be more willing to share information with me. But if you don't feel like it I won't tell you the results of my research on your reproductive organs." Dakota taunted as she threatened to click the electricity button again.

"It'd be better, and certainly much safer, for you to electrocute me. I now know I can't have children. Go on, do it!"

She sighed, and then pulled up one of Torg's severed legs, "I know that what ever it was that did this is still on you. I'm guessing this man wanted you dead, but honorably enough to loose you from the old bindings. Bah, I've more electric devices to stun you with. Now tell me who destroyed my ceiling, and I will tell you exactly how you cannot bear children amongst other things."

"What makes you think I won't do the same thing to you Dakota?"

"Because you aren't stupid. I told you I have other information that will be vital to you. All I ask is which of you destroyed my ceiling, that's all. Yeah, having your name would be nice but I won't press that."

Leona growled again, but she acceded, "Isn't it obvious. He cut my bindings damn it! Then we hopped onto the ceiling and fought it out. Is that enough for you?"

"Now was that so hard? Don't answer that. My turn, information for information."

She paused.

Leona glowered as she waited, "Well?"

"Just assessing myself. Okay. Let's see. Having children requires having a womb right?"

"Yes. So?"

Dakota smiled, "Well, just making sure you knew. Okay. Ah let's just get this over with. You don't have a womb or any of the necessary ingredients in sustaining one. Now you have ovaries, but not a womb. Eggs without a nest to stay warm in just can't hatch. And you don't have a nest for them to hatch in."

"You're repeating yourself." Leona said frustratingly.

"I was just trying to explain. Ah nevermind. That's the problem But there is good news for you, I think."

Leona took this opportunity to sever the bindings from underneath, she had other things to be taking care of.

"Well, anyways, I have a friend in San Diego doing research, and succeeding may I add, on womb structuring and repair. Now until I examined your body for any other injuries we never had to deal with lack of a womb, but I assure you, she is an expert on this matter and she will provide you with a new womb."

With the threat of being shocked out of the way Leona immediately began moving, "What is her name?"

"Lucil Plim, best damn researcher I've ever met. I promise ack!"

Leona shoved the cords off herself and got up, "You're usefulness has just ended. I'd love to stay and torture you, but I've got to find someone. I promise your death will be quick, since you did save my life."

Her captive smiled lightly, "I finally get to see your secret. Go ahead kill me, it doesn't matter. I'm nobody. Just know that your stupidity wasted a valuable ally."

"I don't need you. I don't need anyone's help. Why should I spare you? If I need children I'll just force my sister to bear my children. I know I can do that now."

"Heh, that's not the point. Who knows when you'll get into trouble again? I can even help you get food. But to you none of this matters does it? I'll be dead in a moment as far as you're concerned. Make it as painful as you want, it doesn't matter. "

The strength then was sapped out of the teen, "How the hell can you say that? Are you not afraid to die?"

While her back was against the ceiling she relaxed her body, "I saved you didn't I? When I learned of your stomach contents I could have freaked out and called the police, but I didn't. I'm no scientist, but from what I saw in the x-ray I could tell you are not an ordinary woman. If my death means your success in whatever it is your intending to do, then I'm glad of it."

Leona lowered her eyes and released her vectors from Dakota causing the woman to fall onto the floor.

"There is no point in killing you then. You would not feel suffering by death. That ruins the entire idea of that. If you're smart you'll know not to chase after me. I'll be back though, to kill you too."

The gynecologist pushed herself off the floor and coughed. Then chuckling lightly she commented, "Human blood. How does it taste?"

"Deep and bitter, a good bitter, but a human like you has no business drinking of it. I'm not human. So it clears itself up."

Leona walked out of the room, leaving a crazed Dakota staring at the severed leg.

Like Yumiki had said, her sister was locked in a car parked several miles north of town. Strangely enough though, she hadn't yet been killed.

Leona rolled Wendy out of the trunk and sighed.

"Pitiful. They expect me to use her? I've seen old rags in better condition."

A sharp pang rolled through her chest, paralyzing her for a moment.

"Damn it all. I'm constricted by my movements."

She clutched her chest as she pulled the ragged woman off the ground.

Wendy's eyes opened up scantily, "Master Yumiki?"

"Damn, you were turned into a slave? Wendy are you healthy enough to bear children?"

Wendy's red hair looked as though it hadn't been washed in months, "I'll need basic nourishment first Master Yumiki. I hope I'm not being a bother."

"How long has it been since you've last eaten? You look terrible."

Her eyes widened a bit, "You've noticed. I'm sorry Master, I've been unable to groom myself since you took me in your care two years ago. Please forgive me."

Leona frowned, "I am not Yumiki, that bitch won't be back for you. I am Leona."

"I do not know this Leona girl Master. But if you so desire I can learn. Just feed me the necessities and I'll learn." Wendy tried grasping her sister's shoulders but her arms were simply too frail.

This was disgusting, when she came here she was hoping to be the one to torture her sister but instead Wendy had been brainwashed by the bitch diclonius Yumiki to no longer care about her own well being.

"Damn it, Wendy I'm Leona. And Yumiki isn't your master anymore. If anyone is to be considered your master, it's me."

"What happened to Master Yumiki and her consort? They take care of me and I serve them. It is a suiting arrangement. Why aren't they here?"

Leona growled, any mention of that bitch of a girl disturbed her, "Wendy, they abandoned you for dead. They only intended to use you as bait against me, Leona. Now I don't need someone like you dragging me down, but in your condition I can't afford to leave you alone. You are in no condition to have children yet. God, what a drag."

"Do you have special arms too? Master Yumiki does, whenever I fail her she punishes me with them, but I deserve it. You have horns like she does. Well Master?" Wendy's eyes shined despite her poor condition.

"I'm almost surprised you don't remember. But you've been brainwashed beyond belief. Can you walk still?"

Leona dropped her sister's body onto the ground and watched.

"I believe so. I'll try."

Her weak arms weren't able to lift her body weight, but she still tried anyway. Despite her frail appearance her legs were still in good condition as they were able to carry her body weight with ease. Within a minute she stood up and walked to Leona.

"Good, let's go then. I'll get you nourishment soon enough. You are going to be such a pain to take care of. Even if you are my sister."

It seemed something clicked in her brain as she froze a moment, "Sister? You're that Leona?"

'Finally,' she thought, 'She remembers.'

"Yes, I'm your sister. We shared the same parents. Leona Voraci."

About this time an old red Chevrolet drove onto the nearly abandoned parking lot, but Leona ignored it.

"Master, I'm honored to be asked to bear your children. Even if Master Yumiki claimed not to like you, I don't care, you are my sister. She talked about her grudge against you ever since she took me under her care. Even though she didn't like you, she still promised I'd get to see you again. And now you're going to take care of me."

The red car drove up and parked beside them, aggravating the wretched girl.

Before Leona was able to move the shock of intense pain roared through her body, forcing her to fall to the ground.

"This won't do at all. God, how am I supposed to support you if I'm in pain like this?"

The driver stepped out of the car and wrapped an arm around her abdomen, "I see I got here in time. You're not going to be able to get to San Diego on foot. Especially not with that healing wound of yours."

"Dakota. What are you doing here?"

Before she answered she helped her into the passenger's seat of the car.

After lowering the seat she smiled, 'I implanted a tracker chip into your arm. And when you left me alive, I decided that you might need some help considering that sword narrowly missed your heart and vital veins. Does this girl happen to be your sister?"

Leona growled, "Damn you, I told you I can handle myself. What makes you so sure I won't kill you too?"

Following her new master Wendy piped in, "Leona's my Master, she needs the help of no one!"

"So that's your name. Leona. Ah doesn't matter. We're going to San Diego now. Even with your sister. And I promise you, you won't need her to bear your children. Damn she's nothing but bones."

"Bah. It'll save me the trouble in burning down a gas station just for human food. If I was feeling better I wouldn't mind, but God, I wouldn't be able to enjoy their suffering. I guess I don't have much of a choice."

Once again Dakota smiled. After helping Wendy into the backseat she started the car up and began driving towards San Diego.

"Next stop Wacdino's. For the skinny child."

It was nearly three in the afternoon when Dakota pulled into a roadside gas station. There were hardly any cars there, but enough to say that the gas pumps were working.

Both of the sisters were asleep. Leona had finally gotten over her convulsions, and now her stomach was starting to growl. The older sibling Wendy, she had learned this on their way here, had taken no pleasure in her ten dollar meal at Wacdino's, but was now full.

They spent forty-five minutes at Wacdino's, only because Leona had to throw up several times. Then because of the constant convulsions she had to slow down to forty miles an hour on backroads. With this Dakota had to add an extra forty minutes to their driving time to San Diego. And now just fifteen miles out of town she had needed to refill her gas tank.

Dakota quietly thought to herself as she filled the tank. Her life had just gone through a major shift during the past two days, and she found she rather enjoyed it. Something about this woman Leona, triggered a sleeping beast within herself, sending thrills she'd have never dreamt of enjoying before.

With Leona's stomach growling Dakota thought of something, "She doesn't eat normal food like her sister does, I doubt she'll even accept a salad. When I saw the remains of a human brain in her stomach, I knew she was different."

None of this bothered her though, almost as though it were natural. And since it did seem natural to her she couldn't help but smile wickedly.

"She needs to eat, she hasn't eaten in over two days. I ought to give her something she'd accept. Damn, how do I get her food without getting in trouble?"

After filling the tank to the rim she crawled back into the car and opened the glove department. She pulled out her pocket knife and slid it into her pocket.

Before now she had never even contemplated killing another human, and now she was intending to kill one just to feed someone else. It was a new feeling for her, but it seemed so natural. She had already saved a murderer's life, why not assist her?

The line was short, but on the line there was a man asking for the keys to the restroom out back, giving the gynecologist an idea. When she finally paid for the gas she followed the man to the back and waited for him

She waited patiently for him to defecate so that he'd be as pure as she could get him for her patient to feed upon.

When he flushed the toilet and opened the door she didn't waste any time and sliced his throat open with the knife, killing him instantly.

"I'm sorry sir, but Leona is hungry. It is better that you die by my hands than by hers, for she would have extended your pain as long as possible before eating you."

The blood the spurted out of his neck was thick and heavy. None of this caused her revulsion, in fact she found she wanted to taste it.

Using all of her strength she lifted his carcass up and brought his neck to her mouth. She first smelled the fresh blood, and then licked it. It was hot, and heavy to the senses, but not revolting. Dakota understood how Leona could enjoy the taste, but couldn't understand how Leona could hold back from eating.

"Aw shit, I forgot that I need to get this to the car without being noticed. I'll just roll the car back here and give the key back to the clerk. Stuffing him in the trunk will be simple. She'll eat when we get to San Diego yeah."

The sunlight had begun to look a little darker that afternoon when she drove off.


	10. Truth

**Chapter Ten: Truth**

_Wednesday _

_6:30 a.m._

An aura of despair filled the room, and one of the voices in the room was sobbing frantically. The room itself seemed sterile, but there was something in there that felt off.

When she finally opened her eyes she saw that the room was bright. The light was somewhat blinding, but that was mainly because she had just opened her eyes.

The thing that bothered her most though was the searing pain in her gut. The last thing she remembered was walking to an elevator at Zainab Industries, not being in a bright room with a gap in her gut.

Then Amy noticed a weight on her stomach that somewhat restricted her breathing. To check what it was she lifted her head somewhat and peered down at herself.

It was the source of the sobbing, Brandy, "Please be alrighth little sis. I promsie to be nicer to you. I wish that mean man wasn't in the eleve at the time. Just be alrighth."

Her body seemed to have been injected with anesthetics recently, so she was unable to move her arms, or much else for that matter.

She wanted to talk but her jaws were also asleep, so she was stuck with staring at her friend.

"Meldy says you'll be alright now that you're in a hospital, but I don't know if that's true. She doesn't seem worried though, as she's asleep. I hope you'll wake up soon."

'I am awake! I just can't do anything! Why'd I have to get shot?'

Amy tried her hardest to get her muscles to respond but nothing was working, the anesthetics were simply too strong.

'How much did the doctor pump into me?!'

Then a nurse came into the room to check up on the supposedly sleeping girl and spoke with an annoyed voice upon finding Brandy laying upon Amy's stomach, "How many times must I tell you? Your friend will heal faster without you laying on her gunshot wound! Gah!"

Well, the nurse did solve Amy's slight problem of restricted breathing, but was now herself the target of Brandy's grip. Brandy had jumped the nurse and pushed her onto the floor still sobbing.

"Is she alright? Do you know if she'll wake up soon?"

"Don't make me call security on you! Gah! Stop that!" She demanded as her own breathing rate started getting ragged.

"I want to know if Amy will be fine! Tell me, tell me!"

'You're overdoing it Brandy.' She thought to herself as she felt control slowly returning to her arms.

"If I tell you do you promise to leave her alone?"

Silence.

"Fine then, I'll tell you. Actually she should be up about now. That's kind of why I came in. To ask her what breakfast she'd want to eat. Will you get off me now?"

More silence.

Then an idea came to her head, 'Wait a moment, I can't believe I forgot, I don't have to rely on my own physical arms. Wah, I'm such an idiot.'

At that time all feeling returned to her arms and the nurse pulled herself up towards the bed.

"Ms. Argyle, I see you are awake. Just like I thought. Has your friend been bothering you?"

'Obviously.' She thought, but still couldn't say anything. So instead she just nodded.

"I knew it! They did overdose on the anesthetics! Do you have any control over any part of your body yet?"

In response she attempted lifting her now limp arms, not completely failing as she lifted both of them about two inches off the bed.

"Ah well, at least you tried. At least you have head movement, basic at that. I've got four breakfast meal choices. Just nod the meal number and I'll get it out here and feed it to you, unless you'd rather be hand fed by that friend of yours."

She shook her head and listened to the choices. After picking the least disgusting option Amy decided to get in a little more sleep, but that was difficult at best.

Now being 10:30 Amy had gotten some additional sleep, despite Brandy's endless prattle. She had even regained all of her motor skills during the hours that had passed. Other good news was that she already had permission to leave the hospital at 12:00 pm. Apparently they weren't too worried about the gunshot wound reopening.

By now a new nurse had started her shift and had been going out of her way to explain to Brandy that she was not needed there, but failed miserably.

"Just another hour and a half little sis. Then we'll spend the rest of the day together just you an me. And don't worry about the tour of Zainab. The nice man Mr. Pablo said that we could stop by anytime when you recovered. He even paid for the hospital bill here."

Amy rolled her eyes, "Doesn't matter. We're not going back there anytime soon. I don't owe him nothing."

"Do you know that guy who you caught? Well he had tried to kill kind Mr. Pablo, but when he failed and missed he tried fleeing by using the elevator. Of course when you called for the eleve he was spooked and shot you, thankfully for us he only hit you in the stomach. If anyone owes anyone anything, it is him owing you. You caught his attempted murderer. That is amazing!"

"Can you stop? You may be a good friend but you are so annoying!" Amy said aggravated.

Brandy exhaled and sat on the bed, "How long were you homeless?"

She sighed, it was about time she got serious again, "About fourteen years. Why?"

"Do you know where you were born? I've got a possible point coming."

"I don't have a proper birth certificate, never did have one. I went through a lot of trouble just to get a proper social security number. I really don't know why I was never registered." She explained.

"Just use your noggin for a second and think. I'm sure you'll find the answer soon enough. Come on little sis, the answer is there for the taking."

'What does that mean? They would have no possible reason for not registering me for social security and birth certificate. It's not like I'm special or... Oh man. They were trying to help me out.'

Brandy saw a look of realization on her face, "Yeah, that's it. They did it to make sure these obsessed scientists wouldn't come after you. So you could live as freely as possible. It is a shame that they died when you where so very young, but I'm sure they wanted to make sure that your strangeness wouldn't harm you."

"Why can't you be like this more often? Instead of annoying."

She smiled and rolled off the bed.

"Cause life wud be much less inerestin. It don't help I'm an addy, you soft skined alby."

She crawled back onto the bed and snuggled against her arm.

"Aggh! Not again!"

"Will you be leaving now?" the nurse asked as she brought in the customary wheelchair to escort her patient out.

Brandy ran to the wheelchair and tore it out of the nurse's hands, "Yes, we will!"

"Good riddance. If your father hadn't, ack!"

Brandy had tackled the nurse in a frenzy, "Oh, you will certainly miss me! My father is such a nice man. Almost as nice as Mr. Pablo. Will you get little sis a balloon please?"

She clenched her teeth and growled out her reply, "Gladly. Anything to rid this hospital of a nuisance like you."

"Aw, you don't mean that. I'll take my little sis to the entrance and you'll get her a balloon."

The nurse growled and wandered off, leaving Amy in Brandy's care once again.

Amy shook her head as she grudgingly sat in the wheelchair, she knew better than to bother.

"Now don't worry about getting home little sis. I've arranged for your transportation home."

She didn't like this one bit. If it weren't for her gut wound she wouldn't even be needing help. If she had a choice she would rather bear the pain than to have help.

"Look big sister, I really don't need this. I'll just ride a bus back to the apartment building. It isn't necessary to go through all of this trouble."

The orange haired girl sighed, "It is. You're my only friend, and friends need to take care of each other. Even if they don't know all they need to know about each other."

"You already know too much about me as it and we've only known each other for two days."

Then Brandy went silent.

The silence continued as they reached the elevator to transport the wheelchair downstairs.

All Amy could think about though was her failure to kill the man who had raped her. She had been so close to approaching her goal when that fool shot her. At this rate though, she'd have to wait until she had fully healed before she had another chance.

When the wheelchair got to the hospital lobby the nurse who had been sent away for a balloon was waiting. Unsurprisingly she was glaring menacingly at Brandy, but pretended she wasn't bothered when she gave Amy the white balloon.

"I hope you feel better very soon. Try to stay in good condition, so I won't ever have to see your friend again."

"Heh, good luck." Amy lightly chuckled as she accepted the balloon.

Brandy remained silent and gently pushed the wheelchair towards the exit.

For them there was a black limo waiting with a chauffeur holding the door for them.

"This way madame. Mr. Pablo is waiting for you two. I hope that the accommodations are suitable for you, Ms. Lipscomb, Ms. Argyle."

Her silence then became quite eerie when she helped her into the vehicle, so eerie in fact that Amy ignored the fact that she was climbing into the same vehicle that Mr. Pablo was in.

"Uh, Brandy, is there something wrong? You're not acting yourself." Amy asked, unsure how she should be feeling at the moment.

The one person she didn't want to hear talk spoke up, "She's just worried about you Amy. I must say, I was."

"I doubt it, she was jabbering all morning about how worried she as about me. There is no way she'd quiet down now. Just like there is no way I'm going to forgive you either."

He closed his eyes and sighed, "I don't want you to. It was terrible what you had to go through then. I'm not to be forgiven. And it seems your friend is just tired, nothing more. If anything though I want you to take this one trip to your apartment in stride. God knows you both need it. Ms. Lipscomb must really like you, she even convinced her father to let her stay the night with you unattended at the hospital."

Amy shook her head in disgust, "Just stay quiet won't you. I can't bear to be around you as it is."

Really though she wanted him dead, but right now was a bad time to do it, especially next to Brandy.

"I convinced Melody to take the day off, I hope you don't mind."

She pressed her wrist against her forehead and groaned, "I told you to shut up."

"As you desire. It's a shame that you've grown to distrust the world."

She leaned her head against the soft seat and groaned again. Brandy sniffed lightly and wrapped her arms around her neck, causing Amy minor discomfort.

"I love you Amy, please don't die on me."

Adam chuckled lightly, but remained verbally silent.

"Aggh, noooo. Don't say that!" She wailed.

Brandy's curiousity got the best of her and she lifted the bandage wrap up and peeked.

"Wow! It's almost as though you were shot a week ago! Those doctors must be quite good at surgery. Aw man. Why does it have to be raining again now? It was clear just two hours ago!"

Amy groaned and pushed herself off the bed, "I don't know. Maybe someone else is sad now. If so we know it isn't me."

"Dabbit! I'm tired of all of this sadness in the world. Why can't people be nicer to each other?"

"That's the way the world is, that's all I know. It has always been this way."

Brandy followed her out of the room and into the kitchen tagging along like another shadow.

When Amy opened the refrigerator she accidentally knocked off a pile of papers off the counter.

In response Brandy bent over and started gathering them up, "Oopsie, you dropped these Amy."

She glared at her and resumed scouring the fridge for edibles, "Just put them back on the counter, Melody isn't very well organized at home. It is more homey that way I guess."

As she was attempting to rearrange the papers she accidentally dropped one of them. The rogue sheet fell by Amy's feet, lending itself to curiosity.

On it was a list of payments for her schooling, which interested Amy.

"Huh, what's this?" She asked as she picked it up.

Several of the payments were made out by someone other than Melody or herself, covering a large percentage of her school bill, they were listed under AP.

"Hey, that's not right."

Brandy placed the rest on the counter beside her and ogled the paper curiously herself.

"What isn't? Your payments are up to date I don't see a problem."

Melody then walked into the kitchen and saw them looking at the paper, "Hey don't read those! They're important... business... papers... Crap."

"Who's this?! And why haven't you told me about this person?" Amy questioned angrily.

"Ah, you weren't supposed to see that. Ooh damn. Uh. AP wanted to stay anonymous. So uh, let's leave it at that. Besides uh, nevermind." She replied as quickly as she could.

Brandy shook her head in disappointment, "Why must you lie lihkes that? Can't a girl with such silky smooth hair be moore honests? Oooh, do you have ice cream in here?"

Amy eyed her roommate suspiciously, "No Brandy, there isn't any ice cream in there. We do have flavored ice pops though. Take one if you please."

"I'm sorry Amy, I promised him that I'd keep it a secret from you, but I guess this is too important for you. But please, promise me you won't get angry with me once I tell you." pleaded a weary Melody.

As Brandy dived into the freezer she squealed in delight, "Ooh coooool! Green ice, just like Meldy's hair! This almost makes me forget that it's raining outside."

"Brandy? Could you leave us alone for a moment?" Amy requested.

She turned around and smiled, holding up the green ice pop, "Okay! Talksie in privates is important! If you needes me then you know were to find me!"

She quickly walked out of the kitchen and headed towards Amy's bedroom.

"Okay then, spill."

Melody sighed and hesitated, but started talking anyway, "Amy, there was no way we would have been able to pay for your schooling by ourselves. I was desperate when I saw the bill, and when he offered to help last year I just accepted. I'm so sorry Amy!"

"Who offered to help?"

"Just look at the initials. AP. Who do we both know that has the initials AP. I know you'll hate me for this, but please understand. I did this for you!" Melody explained defensively.

Amy put her right hand upon her stomach and turned away, she understood who it was that her beautiful roommate talked about.

"Adam Pablo. The man who destroyed what little innocence I had. Is this his idea of atonement? I'm sorry Melody, but I cannot let him pay for my school funds any longer. I'll find another way to pay for it, even if I have to borrow the money from a bank. He needs to suffer for what he has done some more, I won't be the one to lessen his pain."

"I'm so sorry Amy, he insisted. I knew this, and I went under your feelings to help."

Amy shook her head, "That's enough. You're not the one who hurt me."

She walked around Melody and went towards the door.

Suddenly a feeling of overwhelming darkness surged through Amy forcing her to coil up in terror.

'What's happening to me? Why do I feel like this? This horrible feeling of, of…'

Melody ran to catch her as she fell towards the floor.

"Amy? Are you okay?"

'Someone is near. Someone who's heart has turned into ice. We're not alone anymore.'

"Ahhh! Get out, get out, get out, get out!" Amy exclaimed as she curled up into a ball, frightened beyond what she's ever been before.


	11. Massacre

**Chapter Eleven: Massacre**

_Wednesday_

_4:10 PM_

'Get out, get out, get out, get out!' The voice of another girl cried out in terror.

Leona was unsure of this as the last time she had a sensation like this she was the one scared out of her wits. Now it seemed like she was inside someone else's mind but not completely.

"Why should I, especially when I can just smell the intensity of your fear?" She asked as she stared at the silhouette that she saw.

'Just get out!'

The dream then abruptly ended, forcing her awake.

She jerked straight up and found herself back in Dakota's car, breathing heavily.

"Master Leona! Are you alright?"

An intense headache had formed, but it was only a slight nuisance, "Yes Wendy, I'm fine. I'll be feeling better though once I get out of this car. There is someone I must find."

Dakota slowed the car to a halt and turned to look at her patient, "Don't you want to do the implant first? And what about food, you haven't eaten yet!"

"While I can smell the blood of the man you murdered I will not partake of the flesh of one who hasn't even had the chance to suffer under me. You are a fool to destroy another human like that. Besides, I need to kill again."

Dakota frowned, "I killed him for you. Why must another suffer just to appease your blood lust?"

"Because I didn't kill him. It is that simple. What you have done defies everything I have worked for. Do you even know what goal it is that I work towards?"

"No. I don't." She answered plainly.

"Leona the Wretched One is what the survivors would call me, if there are any. I desire to kill each and every human in as much pain as possible, including my sister back there. I will make sure that you suffer a miserable death the moment your usefulness runs out or the next time you take away my enjoyment of someone's fear." Leona explained.

Wendy sat up in her seat and sighed, "If master says that my death will serve her purpose of being then I'll go along with it. But first I'll be her child's incubator. Master, you can cause my death to be as painful as you desire once I have your child, or children."

Though she hated to admit it, the very idea of the fact that her sister was so willing to do this for her was saddening.

Leona opened the door on her side of the car and slid out, "Go to the hospital Dakota and take my sister with you. I have to find someone that is exactly like me. I will find this girl and destroy all she knows."

"Very well. I promise I'll take good care of her while you're away. Though I don't recommend your moving. It hasn't had enough time to heal."

Leona sneered and slammed the door shut, "Just leave me the hell alone!"

"She's nearby, I can feel it. Why the hell can't I find her?" Leona asked herself.

It had been an hour since she started her search for this mysterious person, but her search so far had turned up mostly fruitless. She was still hungry and she hadn't yet had a chance to kill anyone.

Then delight covered her face when she found her first victims, a dating couple, male and female.

"Hmm, this will be fun." She said quietly as she waited for their approach and slipped into the shadows.

"Aww, a ring? For me? Jason, you shouldn't have!" the girl squealed in delight as she opened the box that was handed to her.

He smiled, "Of course I should've. I proposed to you nearly a month ago Marcie."

"Come on Jason, I'd still love you without one!"

Leona groaned, 'So much lovey-dovey shit. This is too easy!'

The male stopped right beside the spot Leona was hiding and leaned in close to give Marcie a kiss.

With almost the worst timing possible for them, she threw out her vectors towards the too happy couple and tore open Marcie's jaw also ripping her tongue out.

His face covered in her blood Jason gawked and took a step backwards, horrified, "What's going on?"

With a piece of glass she had recently procured she wrapped her arm around his neck and sliced a hole under his jaw.

"No longer shall I have to hear a person tell me how much they care for each other as they die. Both of you will suffer a death so horrible you will have wished you were never born to begin with!" She proclaimed, using two of her vectors to keep Marcie within range.

Jason immediately tried to attack her, but she severed both of his arms at the elbow, "Now, now, we can't have any of that, can we? Jason, you can still talk, why don't you tell me how much you hate me?"

"Go to hell!"

She smiled wickedly, "That'll do. Tell me, how does it feel to be completely helpless as you watch your girlfriend die before you?"

"I've not given up yet!" He exclaimed angrily and twisted around with his legs and jabbed her in her groin with his knee.

"Fool! You just wasted your last attack option on a non-fatal blow!"

His rate of blood loss increased twofold when his legs were decapitated.

Tears flowed down Marcie's broken face as she wanted to verbally cry.

Much to Leona's surprise Marcie charged her recklessly and tried clawing at her. In defense of herself she used her secondary arms and threw Marcie against a pile a trash cans.

"Okay, I get it, you intend on dying for the one you love, huh? Let me help you out."

Since Jason was incapacitated Leona felt secure enough not to leave two vectors on standby. She approached Marcie with malice in mind.

"Enough! Leave Marcie alone! Just kill me and leave her alone!" Jason cried out.

She ignored him and grabbed Marcie from behind securing her limbs so that they had no fight in them.

"Marcie, you love Jason correct?"

The tears streamed down her face as she was forced to face in the direction of her boyfriend and she nodded.

"I feel somewhat sorry for the two of you. I'll give you one last gratification. Question, have you ever had sex with each other?"

She nodded again.

"Ahh. Too bad, for me. Anyways, do you wish to let him see you naked one last time, before you both die?"

He called out to Marcie again, "Don't Marcie. Keep your dignity for a little longer! I'm not worth it!"

Once more Marcie nodded, and she closed her eyes in shame.

"Good girl Marcie. Your behavior is splendid. Now stay still, and the pain will be lessened."

Using her telekinetic limbs she shred Marcie's clothing to pieces, leaving her with nothing on.

Leona had to chuckle, "Come on spread your legs for him, let him see all of your body. Wider. No, wider!"

She cupped one of Marcie's breasts and pressed the glass piece into a nipple.

"You know Marcie, you're unlucky. You're the test subject for a new form of torture I've thought up, and you can't scream, a shame. Come on Jason, why aren't you talking to her? It'll ease her pain if you console her."

After thrusting the shard of glass into Marcie's flesh through her nipple and started peeling away at her flesh, tearing it until it revealed the supporting muscles underneath.

She stopped her tearing a moment to look over at Jason and found that he wasn't moving anymore.

"Damn, he's dead already. Well, I know who the lucky one out of the two of you are." Leona commented as she pulled the shard out.

After she plunged the shard into Marcie's other nipple she heard a loud scream come from the distance.

"It seems that I have some other matters to attend to. Now don't you move, or I promise you I'll extend your miserable life until you die of pain alone. Okay, you can go over to your boyfriend, if it'll keep you here, but other than that, no movement!"

"Now that was the most fun I've had in a while. A shame he died so quickly. At least the girl felt every minute of pain. And I got to learn where the person I was looking for was last seen when I killed the bystanders. That's how I found my way here," Leona explained to Dakota as they were standing outside, "Not that I had intended on it. I wonder what the police will do when they find all of their miserable corpses?"

Dakota sighed, this was not quite what she had expected, "Why is extreme pain necessary, instead of just killing them? It'll be a lot easier and humans worldwide will fear you either way."

Before Leona could answer Wendy weakly interjected, "Death isn't enough. Simple fear isn't enough either. Many fear a death of pain, and many more fear dying alone in pain. The greater the fear, the greater her enjoyment and the more people will attempt to come after her, furthering her enjoyment."

"Wendy. Why aren't you afraid of me anymore?" Leona asked quietly.

"Master, why should I be afraid of you? Even Master Yumiki said fear was irrelevant to slaves. Besides... I don't really know you, before today I don't ever remember seeing you."

One more reason to find Yumiki and destroy her completely which was part of the reason why she was looking for this unfamiliar girl.

"Lost memory? What a shame. Leona, we should go in and meet my friend now, to see if her research is complete." Dakota suggested as she walked through the sliding doors.

"No. I still need to find this person. That's why I'm here, I told you that already. I cannot take these distractions."

Dakota frowned but nodded, "Fine, just be quick about it, you're still my patient. Remember that."

As they walked inside a doctor greeted them immediately, "Welcome to Saigo Memorial Hospital. How may I be of assistance to you?

Dakota spoke first, "We're looking for someone that may be here. My friend here is related to her."

"Oh, is that so? Okay then can you tell me her name? I'll probably recognize the description."

Leona smiled, "It's been a while and she may have changed her name so I'll just give you the basic description. Have you seen a girl with horns like mine come in here recently?"

The doctor got a look into Leona's eyes and shivered, "Uh, sort of. A girl by the name of Amy, uh gunshot wound, fifth floor resting ward. Please be quiet for the other patients."

"Thank you. I'll find my way from there. Dakota, go ahead I don't have time for this." Leona instructed as she dragged Wendy to the elevator with her.

Once again Dakota nodded and approached the male doctor, "Don't worry you won't feel much pain I promise."

She slit his throat and dropped him to the floor, killing him in a mere moment. Fortunately for her there weren't any security guards there at the moment.

When she was sure he was dead she went to the second elevator shaft and followed her patient.

Ding

The hem of her black dress swished as she ran out of the elevator, hoping to catch up with Leona before something else could happen.

"Damn it Leona, don't start trouble without me! You're still hurt, even if you aren't fucking human."

She then felt a cold feeling against her sides and found that her feet were no longer touching the floor.

From behind her she heard a growl, "What if I do Dakota? Will you smother me with your fat ass or will you strangle me with your ridiculously long auburn hair? I don't think so."

She wasn't really fat but it still hurt to be called that, but right now she wasn't concerned about any of that, "I don't want you to strain yourself, not with that hole in your damn chest!"

"Fuck it! Do you want me to show you? It has already been sealed, I'll be fine. Worry about your own damn life, not mine!" Leona exclaimed loudly.

"Then go ahead and kill me already if you don't need me! I don't give a rat's ass whether or not I die!"

"Once again, you've ruined it for me. I guess you'll live some more, so long as you listen to my next order and follow through completely."

She found herself back onto the floor and sighed, "Fine, only if you promise to let me take care of your health."

"Whatever, just follow me."

A nurse intercepted them as they continued on down the hallway, "What the hell? Didn't you go home already? Wait nevermind you look different, your skin color is darker but you still have the horns of a freak. What are you doing here?"

"I'm not a freak. Never call me a freak again, if you know what's good for you. Tell me, where did the other girl with horns come from?"

"You mean that freak? All I know is that she goes to Wilmont High School about two miles west of here. Oh yeah, her friend is the biggest pest in the world. If her father weren't so damn rich... Wait, you don't belong here freak. Get out of here, you're disturbing the patients."

Leona's eyes went from amber to blood-red, "That's it! You're dead!"

A nurse with a cleaning cart came from around a distant corner when the rude nurse was thrown in that direction. Her body was impaled onto a sharp metal corner of the cart.

As the nurse behind her screamed the rude one pushed herself off the cart and coughed, "Heh, never expected that. Ow, where did that blow come from? I'll have you know, I won't be killed easily, before I became a nurse I was a karate instructor in San Fran..." Splurt

"OH MY GOD! SEECCURRIITYY!" screamed the other nurse as the rude one had her heart shoved out of her chest.

Leona didn't care, she continued on her rampage and killed that nurse too.

Wendy closed her eyes and looked away, unable to bear the sight of blood, "She shouldn't have called you that. Master Leona, is it okay if I not watch this bloodshed? I'm afraid I'm a bit weak of stomach."

"Go ahead, climb on Dakota's back and find her friend. I'll find you in a bit, I'm going to relieve myself on these saps and it is going to be quite messy, for a human that is."

Wendy nodded and wrapped her arms around Dakota's neck.

The two got back on the elevator just as three security guards ran up to Leona.

Dakota shook her head as she heard cries of pain when the elevator door shut, this wasn't how she hoped this would turn out at all.

"Anyone else in this building that has seen this white haired girl? Before anymore of your patients is tortured to death, tell me!"

He picked up a scalpel and swung it at her, "You aren't going to touch another one of my patients as long as I live!"

"Heh, nice try, but that isn't going to help you. Say bye-bye to this one!"

She used her vectors to crush another patient's lungs forcing her to suffocate to death.

The doctor fell to his knees in despair, "I'll tell you. Just don't kill another one."

"Good boy, who is it?"

He sobbed out his answer, "She has an office just above this room dedicated to her womb research. Her name is Lucille Plim. Please don't kill my patients anymore!"

"I never promised I wouldn't, I only said I wouldn't torture them to death. You ensured that their deaths will be as painless as possible. I always keep my word."

A flurry of blood covered the entire ward, leaving only the doctor alive sobbing.

"You're a bastard."

"Almost, I'm a bitch. Figuratively speaking of course. And oh yes, soon enough you'll die too, I promise you. You won't have to suffer with guilt long." Leona answered as she walked out into the hallway.

She walked into the nearby stairwell and quickly walked up the stairs.

It has only been a half hour and she had traversed and slaughtered over half of the patients in this hospital, a dozen security guards, and twenty some doctors and nurses. In a sense for her this a sort of her first major slaughter fest even if a large portion of the people she killed were unable to move. What she had planned though would make all of this seem insignificant once she talked to this Plim person.

Wendy was standing outside the door to a room, assumably the one leading to the research lab.

"Master! I've heard screaming coming from several floors below. How many are dead?"

Leona did a quick mental count and figured up an approximate number, "Maybe 62 or more. I'm not really sure. Is Dr. Plim in there?"

"Ms. Dakota's friend? Yeah. Though for some reason she doesn't seem pleased. I wonder why?"

Leona ignored the question and walked on in, and wiped her face clean of blood, for appearances sake.

"So that's how you can do it. Okay, so do you intend on spreading this technology throughout the country? It is ingenious!"

Leona slammed the door shut behind her, forcing all attention in the room to turn to her, "Dr. Cummings, Dr. Plim, the time has come for both of you. Though Dr. Plim will go first."

"Who are you? Why are you disturbing our research?" the woman standing next to Dakota slammed shut her notebook and stomped on towards Leona, ignorantly.

Dakota attempted to explain, "She's the patient I told you about. The one that was born without a womb."

"Oh. My you're a rude one. Uh, how about I introduce you to my team of researchers?"

Leona smile turned to one of malice, "It won't matter. Dr. Plim, did you see a girl with horns earlier today?"

"Yes I did, simply because she too has no womb either, though I never had the chance of telling her. I'll do that as soon as I can, maybe tomorrow at her high school..."

"Enough. Is your research complete?"

She took in a deep breath as she prepared to explain, "Hell yeah! With that girll's unknown assistance we were able to wrap up about six hours ago. Are you sure you don't want an introduction to the team?"

"Silence. So Dakota, can you do this yourself or do you need Dr. Plim's help?"

Before she even thought about what she was going to say she spat out her answer, "It is simple enough, with the proper equipment and this floppy disk. Oh shit."

"Good. I don't like being burdened with humans. And your response was finally the right response. Now it is your turn Dakota. Your guess was correct. But first to prove a point."

She walked around the room slowly, crushing the hearts of all of the research assistants as she went, killing them all, unknown to Dr. Plim.

"Damn it all, why are you all falling asleep on me?" She swore as she ran over to one of the researchers.

"Dakota, pull out that blade of yours, it is time for your test of usefulness. You'll hate me beyond your belief for this, but you're going to do it. If you kill her quickly you'll lose your life, and any chance at all of spreading the results of her research. Choose now and forever hold your decision to heart. Loss of all hope, or loss of friend."

"I should have never brought you here."

"Too late now. Either way this is your fault."

Leona walked over to the panicking doctor and grabbed her arms tightly, restricting her movements further.

"What did you do to my family? Why are they all dead?" Dr. Plim wailed.

Leona whispered into the doctor's ear, "I crushed their hearts using telepathic arms known of as vectors. You won't have the pleasure of a quick death like that, your own friend will slaughter you, no, butcher you. Just to save your research for possible use throughout the world. Don't feel bad though, she doesn't want to do it, I've given her no choice. Either you both die, and lose all that you worked for, or you die, sparing the research for at least a few more hours."

Her body trembling Dakota walked slowly towards her friend bringing her deadly blade ever closer.

"I'm so sorry Lucille. I'll make sure that your hard work won't go in vain."

Then came the dreaded order, "Dakota, I want you to skin her alive, and if she's a virgin, destroy it!"

"Dakota, why do you listen to her? She can't kill you from there! Run!"

Leona clutched Dr. Plim tighter, "I'll show you why!"

Dakota's long auburn hair was drastically shortened in a mere moment.

"She now controls me. I now have concern for my own life, to protect the knowledge you had possessed. I'm sorry it has to be this way." She apologized again as she stood over her friend.

"Then can I get one last request before you start slicing at my flesh? I want at least one pleasant memory during my suffering."

Leona nodded, "Anything other than life or freedom from pain."

"What is your wish?"

"While I've always loved men, I still have been curious. Will you kiss me deeply? You'll be both my first and last."

Leona chuckled, "Perfect, a fitting end for a friendship. Even if it is disgusting to me."

Tears streaming down her face she clutched both sides of Lucille's head and lowered herself in for a kiss. Lucille receptive opened her mouth as Dakota's lips touched hers and waited. Dakota slid her tongue inside and tried to enjoy this last pleasant moment with her friend. After nearly a minute she pulled back, knowing Leona was impatient and silently wept.

"I wish it didn't have to end this way."

Lucille closed her eyes and leaned her head back, "I've never had the luck you've had with men, but thank you Dakota. You were always a good friend, even if you're about to murder me."

Dakota placed her knife against her friend's leg and pierced the skin. She dragged the knife upwards and mentally blocked out the intense screams, only allowing her own feelings of despair to prevail.

The rain poured heavily over them as the two inspected the dead bodies.

"God, what kind of monster could have done this to this girl?" the detective asked his partner after a moment of puking.

"The surviving witness said that a girl with red hair and white horns did this using a shard of broken glass. Whenever a visible witness saw what was going on, the bitch just walked after them and did one of three things, behead them, remove their heart or slice them in half. In fact the only reason this little kid survived was cause he was on the roof of one of these buildings watching, and saw what happened to the witnesses. Poor kid, now he'll have to suffer for life with these horrible images stuck in his head."

"Damn, look at all of this. She carved out the image of a dress in her flesh. Broken jaw, no tongue. Even her vaginal area had been sliced up terribly on the inside. This is one sick bitch of a woman. Though something seems familiar about this woman's death." The detective mused as he surveyed the corpses once more.

Then when he took a closer look at the supposed boyfriend's severed limbs he noticed it, "What the hell? How are his limbs severed so cleanly? This is just like the case of the young girl in Palm Springs, Jenny Rhode. Her arm was severed cleanly too. And her vaginal area was desecrated also."

"That is strange. Hey, Marshall, do you think that this girl, the one with red hair and white horns happens to also be the same one who murdered that youth?"

He stood up feeling like he was about to puke again and turned away from the gruesome scene, "It is likely. But I think this is larger than that. Somehow, I think this may be connected to a long string of other killings."

"Why?"

"Take a good look. You'll notice that a large chunk of muscle and fat are missing from both of her breasts."

Marshall's young partner took a brief look and turned around, "Damn, she was being eaten. The work of a cannibal."

"A cannibal human-like girl that obviously loves to torture her victims. But I'm only taking a deductive guess. I could be wrong."

One of the many cops swarming the area came up to Dectective Marshall in a rush, "Sir! The hospital is in flames! We should go and help put the fire out!"

"No, our efforts would only get in the fire department's way. No, we just make sure no one else gets hurt in the process of the firefighting process."

"Looks like we're going to be very busy soon Marshall. I was hoping we could relax some."

Marshall scoffed, "There will be no relaxing for the two of us until we find and put a stop to the vile girl who did all of this. My wife is going to be pissed off though. Damn."


	12. Rain of Sorrow

**Chapter Twelve: Rain of Sorrow**

_Thursday_

_7:00 a.m._

"Tragedy stuck the city of San Diego yesterday afternoon when a vicious murderer turned arson and burnt Saigo Memorial Hospital down to the ground. Not even the rain could dampen the fire. Detective Marshall Green spoke with us yesterday about this. We'll show you the tape of the interview."

"So you believe you have an idea of who was responsible for this terrible deed?"

"Well according to remnant video footage from the hospital we found about half an hour ago the person who did this had murdered an entire ward full of patients doctors and nurses before she set fire to the building. Of course this was only a tape of one room, so we don't know exactly what else the girl did before setting fire to the hospital."

"Tell me, do you have any idea why this girl did this?"

"Well, no. Though I do think I know what she did just prior to coming to the hospital."

"So tell us, what might she have done before hand and why you believe this."

"I was investigating a mass murder incident prior to the time the fire started. One specific murder set was especially gruesome. In fact according to an anonymous witness this particular set was the primary target. A young woman, who we have still not identified, and her boyfriend Jason Rhinegold. The woman was tortured in the most gruesome fashion I can imagine, as her skin was removed in the shape of a dress, her jaw was broken off, and even her vaginal area was desecrated horribly. Jason had all of his limbs severed off cleanly. This case is strangely similar to the murder of Jenny Rhode in Palm Springs. I won't go into details about that though. The witness described the woman to me. She had red hair..."Click

Melody snapped the T.V. off when she finished making breakfast.

"Wow, that's frightening. One person did all of that? And is still roaming San Diego? I don't think I can take hearing anymore of this."

Amy nodded, even though it didn't make it any less dangerous, "I hope they can catch this person soon. This place is dangerous enough without that woman. What did you make for breakfast today?"

"Scrambled eggs, bacon, and a fruit smoothie. Not much but I'm not feeling well either. I think I've come down with something. Nothing compared to being shot, but still doesn't feel good."

"About that, you should take a look at something Melody." Amy commented.

"What?"

Amy lifted her pajama top along with the bandage, revealing her unscarred belly.

"The hell? It's as though you were never shot!" Melody extended her hand to feel the smoothness of Amy's stomach.

"I know. Other than the pain I still feel there it is fully healed. It's disturbing really. Brandy noticed this first yesterday before her mother came and picked her up."

"Well, I think it is a good thing. Maybe it comes from those horns of yours. Ahh doesn't matter to me. Let's eat."

Mrs. Foranda canceled her class today just so she could talk with Amy a little more. It didn't help she wasn't able to come to school yesterday.

"Are you sure you should be here today? Shouldn't you be home resting instead letting yourself recover?"

"That's just it, I have recovered, physically. Do you want to see for yourself?"

"No thanks. But if this is true then I doubt you were actually shot."

Amy knew this was coming, and she was ready for it, "Ask the chief of security at Zainab Industries to show you the video footage. I would have you go to the hospital I stayed at but some vicious woman burned it down during the night. Or just ask Brandy Lipscomb, if you don't trust Melody, she'll tell you everything."

"Brandy Lipscomb? You know Ms. Lipscomb?"

Amy nodded, "What's so surprising about that? She rides on the same bus I do. I met her though Monday."

"Well, I guess that's a good thing. So are you two friends?"

"Yeah, I believe so. I'm her 'little sis', though that bothers me some. Still why are you so interested in Brandy?"

She smiled and stood up, "You finally have a friend. That's all I care about anymore. Has she been able to see what you hide underneath that headband of yours?"

Amy looked away, not really caring to discuss it, "Unfortunately yes. And she's annoying."

"Is it her bad grammar? I know you have a problem with that. Or is she too easily distracted? Either way you'll have to put up with it. Anyone who can get close enough to you to see what you've hidden away from the rest of the world, other than the doctor who did surgery on you and the nurses there, has earned your friendship."

"Do you really believe that I don't want her as my friend? She's annoying yes, but she cares about me. She stayed up all night with me in the hospital because she did. Aggh, this feeling again. No."

"Amy? Are you okay? Maybe I should get you to the nurse."

"Ahhh! Get out of my head!" She screamed.

'Calm down Amy. She can't really do anything to us. This is only an image representing her true face. We can handle this.'

"Why is this happening to me?" Amy wailed, causing her registrar concern.

"I don't know Amy, but I'll get you the nurse. I'll be back."

Mrs. Foranda ran out of the room to get the nurse.

'This is a part of who we are. This person is just like you, just much, much, worse. We can sense each other. This thing we're seeing, is just an image.'

"What is this I feel around her? Darkness?"

Her darkness answered, 'Not just that, but evil. Beyond selfish, but evil. In that way we are different than she is. We desire revenge, she desires worse.'

"Stop this!" Amy then snapped back to reality.

The room felt empty all of a sudden as she collapsed onto the floor exhausted.

Mrs. Foranda, or Joanna as her colleagues call her, was quite worried that Amy had overdone herself this time and maybe was suffering from lead poisoning. This was really the reason she was now running toward's the nurse's office. She didn't have a phone in her classroom, only her office which happened to be sitting next to the nurse's office.

"Don't worry Amy, I'll get you help."

She tripped over a taut string that was low to the ground and fell onto her face.

"Who would be stupid enough to pull a stupid prank like this?" she asked as she pushed herself back up.

A thin frail girl holding a piece of string appeared out of the shadows, "Master will be pleased that I caught such a large victim for her to kill. Where is your husband?"

A large net then fell over the registrar, limiting her movements.

Joanna struggled as she tried to move the net but to no avail, "My husband is of no concern to you ignorant child. Wait, did you say I am to be killed?"

"I am certain I did. My master prefers a matched set of victims to torture. But you'll have to do. By the way woman, have you seen a girl that goes by the name Amy and has horns on her head?"

"What? I'd never tell you whether I have or not. If there is a girl here that fits that description I have a duty to protect her."

"Master isn't going to like this. She doesn't have time to waste getting information out of you. Which means I need to do it myself. Though..."

Another person appeared, this time a woman with short reddish brown hair, "I'll handle this Wendy. You shouldn't have to bear this woman's blood on your clean hands. Just catch me a student, and I'll take care of the rest."

"No, Master doesn't trust you enough to let you do it by yourself. We have to do it another way."

While she had no idea how these two made it past the security guards stationed at all of the doors leading outside, she did know that carrying a sharp knife was a good thing at this time. Even though she was the registrar at this school the security guards always made a fit over her four inch knife after she always explains to them why she kept it on her at all times, for instances such as these.

Joanna silently started cutting at her bindings as her captors argued.

"Fine then! We'll just knock her out until we can find a kid!" The taller woman snapped as she pulled out a linen cloth from her pocket.

When the girl with red hair turned towards her, Joanna threw the net over her head, tossed it onto the girl, and started running in the opposite direction.

"Not so fast woman! You weren't given permission to flee! Ah shit, I better not miss."

A sharp knife then was plunged into back of her knee, forcing her to fall to her knees in pain.

Joanna wasn't about to give up now, so she pulled the knife out of her leg and pushed herself back up.

Then the auburn haired woman grabbed her by the neck and covered her mouth with the cloth.

"Now breathe, or you'll die."

She smelled chlorine on the cloth, and realized a little to late what it's purpose was when her vision started giving way.

"Let's take her to Master. She'll enjoy this, I'm sure she's through eating by now."

Her nose started twitching when some feathery object was dragged across it.

Amy reached her hand to her face to scratch it away, but it still persisted.

"Go away, I'm trying to sleep. Bother me later Melody." She whined incoherently.

The flicking motions stopped.

A moment later something was being pressed up against her lips, something smooth. Before she could react it was pushed into her mouth and onto her tongue.

"Mmmn, this tastes good. Cheese?"

Amy opened her eyes and licked her lips, then she saw who it was.

"Stringy cheese little sis! You must have been asleep for a while. When I didn't sees you at lunch I gots worried and started looking for you. Then I remember you mentioned to me that you talk with the registrar every so oftens. So that's how I gots here. What's weird tho, is that now Mrs. Foranda isn't here."

She held out two packs of string cheese in front of her face almost in a taunting fashion.

Amy swiped the packets out of Brandy's hand and tore into one of them, "Thanks for your concern, but I'm fine. And about Mrs. Foranda, she went to the nurse's office a while back, worried about me too. I guess when the nurse got here they found out it wasn't much of a problem either."

"Something is wrong today, I can just feel it. First you gets knocked out for no reason at all and now Mrs. Foranda is missing." Brandy conjectured as she looked out the window.

Amy shook her head as she pulled off several pieces of cheese, "That's crazy talk. I was just exhausted that's all."

"Hmph, it's still raining. Will it never let up? Hey, I've got an idea Amy. Since neither of us have class next period why don't we go to the gym and play some basketball? At least that'll give us something to do together away from the miserable rain."

Amy shrugged and got up, "Sure, why not."

They both walked out into the hall and started down towards the gymnasium entrance.

Normally the door would have had a guard standing by it, but today he wasn't there. The two friends ignored this and stepped inside.

Amy bumped into Brandy when she took a moment to look away.

"Brandy! Why'd you stop?"

She merely stood there as her face turned pale with her looking downwards.

Amy looked down and realized what it was that caused the sudden stop, it was a massive pool of blood sitting merely a foot from Brandy.

"What happened here? Did someone hurt themselves here? Oh Lord, please say that's what it is."

Brandy shook her head as she started backing up in panic, "You don't want to see what happened little sis. I didn't either."  
Amy pushed past her and jumped over the blood, and nearly tumbled onto the floor. She screamed when she saw the source of the blood. The blood belonged to that of the security guard that was supposed to be stationed at the door.

"No, this can't be happening. He's a security guard, he can't be killed!" Amy then saw that his chest had been cut wide open and clutched her head tightly in denial.

Brandy reached into her jacket and pulled out her cellphone, "We gots to call the police. No matters how bads it is. No wonder we have this dab rain. But why did it have to be Delva?"

"Why'd it have to happen here? This couldn't be that murderer from the hospital could it?"

A frail girl with red hair stepped out of the girl's locker room, "Please be quiet for Master's sake. She is currently interviewing someone."

"Who are you? And why are you calling someone master?" Brandy asked through her starting tears.

"My name is irrelevant to you and your friend. Now please leave us alone. If my Master wishes to see you then she'll come for you herself."

Amy retaliated, "Don't you see all of this blood? Someone's dead here!"

She nodded, "I wish I couldn't as blood makes me queasy. But that is what happens when a certain someone can't kill someone cleanly. Now please leave else you incur my master's wrath."

A tight darkness then gripped at Amy's heart, causing her to fall to her knees in agony.

"Good, you understand. Master will come for you soon enough, whoever you are."

Brandy went to Amy's aid and helped her up, "Come on Amy, we should listen to that girl for now. I don't likes this at all, but I'm sure we can't do anything about this yet."

They stepped back into the hallway to recover a little mentally.

"Go Dakota, fetch me another student. It seems that this woman doesn't care as much about her students as we thought." Leona ordered as she opened up the chest of the student she had just killed.

"Dammit. I told you already, I don't know who it is that you're asking me about. And as you've made it evident, you'll not let me live or anyone else for that matter. If I even knew the girl you asked me about what makes you think I'd sacrifice her just to spare my suffering? If I can save the life of just one student then I'd have it be the one you can't find. I hate that choice, but I know its the only good one I have left. And why are you so interested in this girl?"

She then sniffed the air, unsure what to make of the new scent, "I want to see what she is like. Amy is just like me as far as I can tell. Listen Joanna, if she harbors the same hatred I do, then maybe I can work with her. Damn, what the hell is that smell?"

'Expensive hair shampoo,' Joanna realized, 'I almost forgot that the locker room also connects to the pool. Damn, that girl better get out of here fast.'

Wendy, the frail girl who had first tripped her then replied as she came back into the room, shielding her eyes, "A floral shampoo fragrance Master. It seems a girl had slipped in here unnoticed. Too bad for her."

And then to her despair the innocent girl started to sing. She recognized the voice almost immediately and began to panic.

"I'll tell you all I know about the girl you describe. Just, don't touch that girl in the shower!"

Leona blinked a moment as she took in the information she just learned, "Whoa, that was oddly easy. Wendy watch the registrar for me, I'll be back."

"No! I'll tell you, I told you that already!"

She ignored Joanna's pleas and walked into the shower stalls.

The girl screamed when she saw Leona's blood stained clothing.

A moment later Leona appeared again as she pulled the desert skinned girl by her hair toward Joanna.

"Now I see why you want her to live. The resemblance is uncanny. Sure she is a hell of a lot skinnier than you are, but that's to be expected from a sixteen year old girl. So what were you going to tell me?"

"Mom? What's going on here?" the girl asked frightfully

Joanna began sobbing, "Let Julie go! I've already promised to tell you everything I know about Amy Argyle!"

She chuckled and pulled a pair of scissors from a broken locker, "Each time I don't believe your words or feel there is more to something I will peel off a square foot's worth of her skin."

"Mother! Don't let her do it!" Julie cried out as she struggled.

She resigned herself to her fate and nodded, "I didn't know that was what was under her headband, but I do know Amy. Amy is a student of mine. Until recently she had no real friends. Her friend is the daughter of Ralph Lipscomb, a famous shipping tycoon for many internet sites. Amy lives with a woman named Melody Gipford. Amy is a sophomore here though not for much longer as the school year is near its end. Please don't hurt my daughter!"

"I won't promise you that. I won't kill her though. You have just let your own selfish desire to extend your legacy to betray a student who has been close to you. You need to suffer for that!"

The wretched woman sat on Julie's chest and brought the hair scissors towards the girl's left eye.

"Nooo!" She cried out as she clawed at Leona.

Knowing she could do nothing to protect her, as she had been bolted to the floor, literally, tears began streaking down Joanna's face.

Leona, with one hand forced Julie's eyelids apart and with her other she lowered the scissors and snipped a piece of her iris. At that moment Julie lost all fight in her and stopped struggling.

"Yes Julie, relax. You'll feel less pain overall this way. Because of your selfish mother you'll lose your eyesight for the remainder of your life."

Then something pressed tightly against Julie's right eye. It pressed so hard that it imploded her eye and Joanna saw the blood burst from it.

"Julie, I never meant for this to happen. I love you."

Julie's screams were too loud and she didn't hear any of it.

Leona plunged the tip of the scissors into Julie's left eye ensuring that the last thing she saw was misery.

Brandy had already called the police when the short haired woman came into the hallway and grabbed her.

"Hey, let me go!" She exclaimed.

A look of emptiness filled her eyes as she ignored Brandy's words.

Amy stood up and kicked her in the abdomen.

"You heard her! Let go of her!"

"The master told me to get her another victim. So I'm doing just that. I have to live, and to do that I need your friend. Unless you can tell me where we can find this girl Amy Argyle." She explained.

Brandy pulled herself away from the woman and backed away, "What does your 'Master' want with Amy?"

"Leona is looking for this girl because Amy, wherever she is, is of the same species as Master is. She calls her kind diclonius, and according to her, and her sister, the diclonius race is very vicious and is destined to overthrow the human species as a whole as our superiors. And right now in order to find this girl, she's forcing the registrar to watch her students die until she tells us where to find her."

Amy's heart sank upon hearing this, she was now the cause of pain, especially to one who cared so much about her, "Take me instead. You'll find that your master will rather have me than a girl who is easily distracted. No one else should die, not like this anyway."

Brandy clung to Amy's shoulder tightly, "I won't let you go. A big sister should protect her little sis. I knows you cans protect yourself, but somethings bothering me."

"Whatever just come, or the other dies. I don't give a rat's ass which of you comes. I no longer care about anything but the information I promised to keep safe."

Amy shook her head and shoved Brandy away, "I think I understand. But you don't. Would it help if I told you that I was the one you were looking for?"

The short haired woman swiped the headband off and gasped, "So it is true. I need to talk with you then. My name is Dakota Cummings, though really my name doesn't matter I still have something of vital importance to tell you."

"What is it?'

"Leona is a monster, her only purpose is to usurp humankind, not that I care about that anymore, and in order for her to do so she first needs to have children. If she had the surgery yesterday to implant a new womb into her system then maybe I'd be dead now, giving me relief. But now I have no choice but carry this burden. Have you killed anyone before Amy?"

Amy shook her head, and then the darkness started plaguing her again.

'Have you forgotten Amy? I told you, you have killed before. Twice. And we still need to kill Mr. Pablo, to end his suffering. Don't lie to this woman. She knows what she's talking about.'

"Gah! Leave me alone! I'm no murderer! I didn't kill my parents then! That was something else! Look I don't care what happened then, I won't do it!"

"Do you have invisible arms like Leona does?"

Amy looked to Brandy, saw a look of acceptance in her eyes and nodded, "But I won't use them in that way."

She sighed and grabbed Amy's wrist, "Then you won't stand a chance."

"Wendy it seems that we won't have to look for Amy after all. She's coming to us. Get Joanna's daughter out of here, I've had my fun with her. So Joanna, how does it feel to know that you're daughter is at least alive? Hmm?"

She only sat there in tears, her own daughter had to suffer just because of her foolish belief that she could protect Amy.

"I guess you've suffered enough Joanna, are you ready for death?" Leona asked as she walked close to the woman.

"I need to be with my students. They need me. I'm not afraid of dying though."

Leona chuckled vilely and tore the bolts out of her feet, "Then you can die right now!"

Click

Extreme pressure was applied on her head by some unseen force, and before she had a chance to understand what was going on, it was all over.

"Nooooo!"

Amy turned away and ran back into the gymnasium horrified by what she had just witnessed, not even letting shock set in.

"This is just a bad dream, this is just a bad dream. It has to be. Wake up Amy, just wake up!"

"I'm afraid it is real child. Your beloved registrar is dead. Soon Leona will be eating her remains, and then if you're lucky she'll kill you quickly. There is another option though…"

A slight cough interrupted them from the outside entrance of the massive room. They both turned to look at who it was and neither of them were able to identify him.

"Hello, I'm sorry to have bothered your conversation. You see, I have a cold, I was out in the rain all day yesterday investigating a murder spree."

"Who the hell are you?" Dakota asked.

"No need to be rude madam. I was getting to that. I'm Detective Marshall Green, I got a notice on my cell that a murderer had been sighted here and has killed at least a security officer. And I see that the young girl was most correct from that large pool of blood. I happened to be nearby when I got the notice so I stopped in by. By the way did you happen to see the person who did this?"

Amy nodded, but before she could answer Dakota covered her mouth.

Then Leona walked out of the locker room and saw the detective.

His eyes widened and he pulled out his revolver, "Well, you're the girl I've been looking for. I'm afraid that it is up to me to arrest you. Red hair, white horns, and young. Not many people fit that description, I'm sure."

Two gunshots fired from the revolver and were deflected by two translucent arms as far as Amy could tell. These arms were almost exactly like hers, though Leona's seemed to be colored red.

"Damn. So that's how you did it."

Brandy jumped over the blood and grabbed Amy by the collar and started pulling.

"Get out of here Amy! If he can't hurt her, then we don't stand a chance!"

"But I can do something about this!"

"Not now. I've been hiding something from you Amy. And it involves the 'diclonius', and my father. Now let's go!"

Despite her desires she followed Brandy to the emergency exit and left the school.


	13. Revelations

**Chapter Thirteen: Revelations**

_Thursday_

_3:30 p.m._

"Damn that detective. He actually shot me! How the fuck did he score a shot on me?" Leona swore when Dakota finally pulled the bullet out of her arm.

"What I don't know is why you didn't kill him. He got a shot in on you because you were distracted by that albino girl who fled. That doesn't explain why you didn't kill him." She explained as she put the bullet into a bag.

Leona gripped her arm again and tested its function, "I didn't kill him because he fucking shot me! Then he chased after that girl knowing he couldn't kill me. Damn, it hurts!"

Wendy offered her assistance with an antibiotic she had stolen from the nurses office but Leona slapped it away.

"I know you heal at an incredible pace, but it will still take at least seven hours for that to close up. Let your sister apply that antibiotic, at the very least it'll help you heal faster."

"Fine, but next we go after those two, I know where she lives now."

Dakota smiled, "We won't need to. I gave her the notion that she could actually kill you herself. Amy was so wracked it was funny. When you killed Joanna in front of her like that it sparked the fire that will ultimately lead to her demise at your hands. Too bad I didn't tell her that she can't have children either. When do you think I'll have another chance at tasting blood?"

Leona stared at her blankly, "How the hell do you still want to eat blood after what I did to you yesterday?"

She went silent and walked into a corner.

"That's better."

"Where are we going Brandy?"

Brandy kept tight hold onto her friend's hand as they continued to walk further into town, "We're going to see my father. He told me once several years ago that if I 'appens to meet something that identifies itself as a diclonius to run to his office in the city and tell 'im. That Dakota person was co'ect tho, according to him Diclonius are not only inherently bad, but also most of them have no conscience. I don't know how he even heard of your species, but from what I can tell you shouldn't be a kind as you are now."

"That really wasn't what I wanted to know. Thanks. But how does going to your father help us?" Amy asked as she followed along.

"I don't really know. I was twelve when he told me this. One of his contacts possibly." She answered.

Amy felt one of her horns with her let hand, 'So that's what I am. The kids were right. I am a demon, a white-haired demon. I was born to hurt others. I can't let that happen, I can do something about this.'

'About damn time you realized that! We told you, we control our own destiny with the arms of ours. Control destiny now, and destroy both the one who took our innocence and the one who took away someone who cared about us from us. If you so choose, we can control whatever we desire. What is our decision Amy?"

"I fight."

Brandy stopped and turned towards Amy, "Hunh? Wat are yoush talking about? You can't fight that girl. Do you remember what that man told us earlier?"

"Yes, I do big sister. She burnt down the hospital and single handedly murdered a dozen hospital security guards. She tortures people just for the fun of it. But I don't care, I'm the only one that I know of that even stands a chance of defeating her."

Brandy pouted and pulled, "I tell you she wouldn't only kill us but she'd torture us up to the moment of our sad deaths. I don't care if its raining now, but it isn't worth it I tell you! Besides, we still need to talk to my father. At the very least he'll give us useful information to help you defeat that vile lady. My heart is pounding heavily now. I fear that if it doesn't beat heavily now, that I'd lose touch with reality."

"Fine, but I'm not going to stay there long."

Despite her sadness Brandy smiled and pulled Amy along.

_Evening_

Both Wendy and Dakota had fallen asleep; Wendy out of exhaustion, and Dakota out of boredom. Other than the gymnasium being sealed off by the police nothing really had happened. Leona too was bored as she had hoped the police would come inside at the very least and assault her, but it seems that detective is smarter than he looks.

"Bah, I can't stay here any longer. I can't just sit here and wait for Dakota's promised arrival of Amy. I didn't even get a good look at her face! Bah. Even today's kills were boring."

But if she left now Wendy would be arrested, and that wasn't something Leona quite wanted to deal with, as breaking her out of prison would attract far too much attention.

She shook Dakota awake, only to find a very irritable woman.

"Damn it all Lucil. How many times must I tell you never wake me in the middle of the night! I'll never pass my exams at this rate!"

Leona ignored this, "Dakota, I need your help for a moment, and then you'll be able to go back to sleep."

She still was in dream state, "Why the hell did you take your own virginity anyway? Its not like you need to rub it in my face all the time! What, do you want me to kick your ass again in darts?"

"That's it! Dakota wake the hell up!"

Instead Wendy woke, "Master?"

"Go back to sleep Wendy, you need your rest and food. This is between me and deadweight here. When you next wake though, you'll find you're in a new place, so don't freak out when you do wake. Okay?"

She rubbed her eyes and nodded, "Okay Master, I will."

Leona sighed and slapped Dakota.

Dakota's eyes snapped wide open due to the pain of the impact.

"Oh, Leona. What is it that you want now? Can't I even sleep anymore?"

Leona actually smiled a smile of lightness, "I just need your help for a moment. A simple enough task with my assistance. Then you'll be able to sleep as long as you want tomorrow. Do I have your attention?"

"What's the catch?"

"Just take my older sister to a place that isn't likely to be surrounded be people who want to take her away from me. Do this and I'll give you a full day's rest from anything involving me, and I always keep my promises."

A sense of pride overcame Dakota as she jumped up, "I'll do it. As you've already offered you'll divert the police surrounding the facility and I'll carry Wendy to a place of safety."

"Easy enough. Now pick her up and let's go. I've got to find Amy again, this time nothing is getting in my way. Not even if Yumiki arrives again."

Dakota wanted to ask who this Yumiki was, but she knew better than to ask.

It had been an hour since Brandy's father explained to her in private what was really going on. She still had the conversation freshly imbedded in her mind.

"I still have a hard time believing that my daughter is friends with one of your kind. You should know though, I don't really approve of your friendship. Diclonius have been known to kill even those they befriend, or pretend to befriend. Of course most of them are living in a research facility in Japan under the watchful eye of Director Kakuzawa."

"So it's true, I'm a demon. And the reason I've been alone most of my life is because I killed my parents. But I'm not a murderer like the others!"

He sighed, "There was one other instance that I know of that a diclonius like you refused to kill humans but she's dead. Look, I don't know much about that place, but I barely got out of the system alive. I used to deliver young diclonius girls from America to that facility as part of my shipping service. Then something began to bother me. Even though I knew it was 'for the better good' that young children like that were condemned from life, it nagged at me that young girls, and the few young boys, would have be forced to live their whole lives alone in a facility of any kind. When I told Director Kakuzawa that I would no longer deliver Diclonius children to him, he nearly sent some of his Special Attack Team members after me. If Chief Kurama hadn't stepped in, I probably would have been killed."

"You, don't want me to have existed? Just because I was born?"

"All diclonius were created solely to annihilate the human race, take your vectors for example."

"Vectors?"

"Yes, vectors, those inherent 'arms' of yours. They seem to serve only one purpose. The eventual elimination of the inferior species called human. It is how you breed, it is how you kill, and it is how you prove your existence to the world. I only know a little more about your kind."

She turned and looked outside, the rain had finally stopped, for now.

"I don't want children of my own. They'd only suffer as I had. Nor do I wish to destroy those who scorn me. Only those who have hurt me badly. Ralph, I'm going to prove something to you."

"What is it Amy?"

"I'm going to prove that even 'diclonius' have a choice in what they become. Even if our instinct tells us to destroy whatever bothers us. I won't be a victim of chance."

He picked up his cup of cocoa and sighed again, "As I helped transport the diclonius children some years back I had to find a way to protect myself from them. It wasn't easy, as their vectors deflected or destroyed whatever came near them. And then I found the diversion tactic. Simply distract them for a mere moment and then you can accomplish anything that can be accomplished within the short matter of time they are distracted. I used a stun gun to paralyze the children long enough to put them in special containment cages. I hope this information will help you in defeating the girl you call Leona. Especially if it means protecting my daughter."

"What do you do now sir? I mean now that you stopped transporting diclonius children to Japan."

"I'm still in the shipping business. I'm well known as the internet shipping tycoon of IGS inc. or Internet General Shipping incorporated. Why?"

"No reason. Will you ever like me Ralph?"

He looked away, "Maybe, if you found a way to alter your destiny."

The conversation ended there, bringing Amy to where she was now.

"I'm sorry Brandy, but I have to go now. I can't let that wretch hurt anyone else." Amy spoke silently as she crawled out the window and out into the open night.

_Friday_

_12:30 a.m._

"So this is where the girl lives, but she isn't here. I can feel it. No point in being here if I can't even find her roommate." She said to herself as she looked up at the apartment complex.

Leona sighed and looked around a bit, there wasn't anything worth visiting in sight.

"I guess I'll just go in and find which apartment her roommate is in. It'll at least do to pass the time."

It had taken her sometime to find out where exactly this Amy girl lived, but when she remembered the name of her roommate it made things a little easier. When she finally thought to use a nearby phonebook all she needed to do was look under Gipford.

She didn't really start looking for Amy until she was sure her sister was in a safe place. Even though she was sure she could trust Dakota she still just had to see where they were going to go. Leona followed them all of the way to some three star hotel where Dakota checked them in for the night. Normally it would have seemed a waste of time but this was of vital importance now.

"Argyle and Gipford, floor three apartment two. Hmm. Interesting floor arrangement. Even the front door is locked as far as I can tell. Well at least they have some sort of security here."

She then noticed there was a doorbell right next to the door and pushed it.

A few moments later someone answered through intercom, "Yes? What do you want?"

"I've got to speak with Melody Gipford, I know she lives here. Someone's life may be in danger." This was true, for she had every intention on causing this problem.

Sleepily the person replied, "Okay, just a moment. I'll come down and open the door for you."

"Something to pass the time, I guess this will do."

Leona looked around herself, noticing the night sky and took in a deep breath.

"When I destroy all who interfere with my plan, then this serenity will be fitting. I will make it so that my children will be able to live in this world away from prejudice and then they'll be able to enjoy this serenity. But first there must be chaos."

When she looked back down there was a middle aged man in pajamas staring at her with a dumbfounded look on his face, "Um, whatever that's about, I don't care. What is this 'big' life or death situation you're talking about?"

She smiled, "I'll show you."

Leona pushed him back into the entry hall and against the various mailboxes.

"What are you doing woman? I thought there was a life or death crisis here!"

"There is, though just death, yours."

She lifted her leg and pressed her heel onto his crotch, "I can do this one of two ways right now. I could A.) first crush your testicles one by one until every tenant of this building hears your screams, and then I split your head open, or B.) You give me the keys to all of the apartments and I make your death quick. And I would much prefer to hear you scream. Family jewels or instant death, your choice."

He didn't seem to hear her as he just glared at her.

"Fine then if you want it that way."

She used all of her strength to press down on his crotch, but other than a slight wince no noise of pain was exerted.

"Foolish girl. I've got nothing there anymore. Haven't had anything there for twenty years. '87 was a bad year for me. Any other threat to me missy?"

She growled and used a vector to lift him into the air by his neck, "Suffocate then!"

Then a warning sounded off in her head, telling her that another diclonius was near. The distraction caused her to sever the man's neck, shortening her enjoyment time drastically.

"Damn it! Why the hell did she have to get here now?"

The glass door behind her shattered, causing Leona to flinch slightly.

Two vectors were thrust into her sides, preventing any of her further movements.

"About damn time you got here girl. I don't need to tell you why I'm here."

Finally the other girl spoke, "We aren't the same. I don't kill people simply because we're not the same. I used to be alone, and many didn't like me, but I haven't killed anyone. Death is too good for those who willingly hurt others, yes, but I will not be the cause of undue pain."

"Aw cut the crap. How many times have you felt the urge to kill those people who've hurt you or taunted you? Huh? Well guess what, those urges are a part of what we are! We are silpelit, born for one thing only, and while I create my own destiny I still understand this. We are to create a new race of beings superior to these fools!"

Leona looked up and saw there was a mirror hanging above them. She smiled as this was her ticket out of this situation.

"There is another way. We can live side by side with the humans. Why do we both have to suffer because of this!" Amy exclaimed.

Four translucent limbs shot out towards her suddenly, forcing Amy to jump back and pull hers out of Leona's side.

Leona turned around as Amy's vectors countered her own and smiled, "The only one who's suffering is you."

Both of their eyes widened when they stared at each other in the face.

It was like they were looking into a mirror that changed the color of their eyes, hair and skin. Every facial feature was the same, from their eye shape all the way to the way their lips pursed together. This was something neither of them expected.

"What the hell? There is no way we're twins!" Leona exclaimed as their vectors were still locked together.

'What's going on here?'

To Be Continued in the next book…


End file.
